


The Mask Slips Out Of Place

by Thraceadams



Series: The Masks Universe [2]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Angst, M/M, Minor Violence, The Masks Universe, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-04-13
Updated: 2009-05-04
Packaged: 2017-10-22 23:47:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 21,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/243913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thraceadams/pseuds/Thraceadams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of episode tags and in between season forays, told from both Ianto’s POV and Jack’s POV from the time Jack left at the end of End of Days, until shortly after Tommy Brockless’ return to his own time.</p><p>This is Story Two in The Masks Universe</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What Do We Do Now?

Thanks to [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/profile)[**buttononthetop**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/) for the beta, our ADWD chats, and for being my friend and personal cheerleader!

 **CHAPTER ONE – What Do We Do Now?**

 _I’m having the best time ever!_

Jack ran down the hill, chasing after the Doctor, smiling the whole time. He hadn’t felt like this in a very long time. Sure this wasn’t his Doctor, but this was still the Doctor, and being here with him and his new companion Martha and running from trouble, was almost like old times. As they slammed against the fence and bared their teeth for access, his team back in Cardiff was the furthest thing from his mind.

********************

Ianto sat in one of the back booths at the Pub, nursing his beer. He was trying desperately to stop the flood of thoughts rushing through his brain.

“Mind if I join you?”

He looked up into Tosh’s beautiful smile and couldn’t help but smile in return.

“Please, have a seat.”

He stood, motioning her to sit down. She smiled up at him and slid into the booth on his side. He looked at her questioningly.

“Owen and Gwen aren’t too far behind me.”

“Oh,” he nodded and slid into the booth next to her.

They sat there for a moment, the silence between them growing awkward until Ianto stood abruptly.

“Do you want something to drink?”

He flinched as a hand slapped down onto his shoulder.

“Don’t mind if I do, mate. Get me a pint.”

“Me too, luv,” Gwen pecked him lightly on the cheek.

“Tosh?”

“That would be lovely, thank you Ianto.”

He smiled weakly at her and made his way to the bar to place their drink order. Glancing back at the booth he noted the three of them deep in conversation and felt his anger start to rise. Probably talking about him and that bloody kiss. He shook his head, trying to fight the blush that was rising in his face and turned back to the bar.

Several minutes later he pushed his way back through the crowd with their drinks. His teammates stopped their conversation as soon as he showed up.

“’Bout time, a man could die of thirst waiting on you.”

Ianto rolled his eyes and just set Owen’s beer down in front of him. He got thank you’s from both Gwen and Tosh before he sat down with a fresh pint himself.

“So, where do you think he buggered off to?”

Ianto winced at Owen’s words.

“You saw the CCTV footage,” Tosh said quietly.

Owen rolled his eyes, “Yeah, he was running toward something we could barely see.”

“It was the TARDIS,” Ianto said quietly.

Three pairs of eyes stared at him in shock.

“What’s a TARDIS?”

“Bloody hell Cooper, don’t you read anything?”

Gwen shot a glare toward Owen.

“Ianto, what’s a TARDIS?”

He took a deep breath and tried to remember this was Gwen, why should he expect anything more from her?

“The TARDIS stands for Time and Relative Dimension(s) in Space.”

She looked at him blankly until he continued.

“It’s the Doctor’s ship.”

“Wait, THE Doctor, as in Torchwood’s number one enemy?”

“Oh so you do read.”

Gwen shot another glare toward Owen.

“Yes, except he’s not really an enemy.”

Again, he was met with three pairs of eyes staring in shock. He leaned forward and took another sip of his beer.

“He was at Canary Wharf. He stopped the Cybermen and the Daleks. What happened there could have been so much worse. He stopped it. He doesn’t bring death and destruction he finds it and stops it. I don’t know how, but he does.”

“So why would Jack go running off after him?”

 _That was the million dollar question wasn’t it?_

“Why wouldn’t he? After what we did to him?” Ianto snorted into his beer, “I would have.”

The three of them went silent, Tosh quickly taking a drink of her pint.

“Ianto, luv, we didn’t know. We thought we were doing the right thing.”

Ianto turned to glare at Gwen derisively.

“The right thing? Since when is opening the Rift the right thing? It’s drummed into us from our first day, ‘Don’t Open The Rift.’ And what did we do? The very thing he warned us not to. We opened the Rift, damn near got the whole world sucked into hell, killed him TWICE in the process. Tell me why would he stay?”

Frustrated he slammed his palms down on the table and stood up.

“I’m done. You all can stay here and drink the night away, but I’m going home. He left us, of his own free will, looks to me like he’s not coming back. And we’ve got work to do tomorrow.”

The three of them sat there in shocked silence and watched as he stormed out of the Pub. When the door shut behind him they turned to each other and shared sheepish looks before staring at the table.

“Should we go after him?” Gwen asked quietly.

“No.”

Gwen looked up at Tosh sharply.

“No. We should leave him alone tonight. I’ll – I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”

They all finished their pints quickly and left the Pub to go their separate ways.

0000000000000000000000

Ianto slowly made his way back to the Hub. He looked around forlornly at the mess strewn about. Resolutely, he set about cleaning up the rubbish and putting it into bin bags until he was practically falling asleep on his feet. He looked at the couch and thought about the equally uncomfortable cot down in Jack’s quarters. Finally he just collapsed on the couch and fell into a restless sleep.

00000000000000000000000

Startled awake by the alarm of the cog door, Ianto sat up blearily, rubbing his eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden bright light. Awkwardly, he stood up, attempting to straighten his sleep-rumpled suit. Feeling the heat of embarrassment flood his face, he turned and came face to face with Tosh. He almost fainted with relief. Of all the people to come in and see him like this, she was the only one he could really bear to face.

“Good morning, Ianto.”

“Morning Tosh. I’ll get some coffee made right away.”

“Wait, I stopped and got us some Starbucks. I know it isn’t yours, but I thought you might need it this morning.”

“Thanks.”

She sat down on the couch and he joined her. They drank their coffee in silence for a few minutes. He spoke first.

“I’m sorry about last night.”

She smiled at him before looking back down at her cup.

“Don’t be. We deserved it and you just said what we were all thinking but too scared to admit to ourselves.”

He smiled at her and took another sip of his coffee. She patted him on the knee.

“Why don’t you get cleaned up, I know you keep a spare suit in Jack’s office. You probably have enough time to get showered and start a fresh pot of coffee before Gwen or Owen arrive. They’ll never know you slept here.”

Ianto blushed.

“You’re scary brilliant you know that?”

“Don’t you forget it.”

He laughed and got up to follow her instructions. He turned back just as he got to the door of Jack’s office.

“Tosh, thank you.”

She smiled at him and turned back to her computer screen.

00000000000000000000000

He was in the kitchen pouring up the first cups of coffee when the cog door rolled back and Gwen strolled into the Hub. He smiled as he gave her a mug of coffee, hoping she wouldn’t give him one of those sympathetic looks of hers. He was relieved when the cog door rolled back again and Owen sauntered inside giving him an excuse to hurry away from Gwen.

“Oi, teaboy, coffee and some donuts too.”

Ianto rolled his eyes at Gwen and delivered Owen’s request almost immediately, since he already had it ready.

“All right, first order of business, we need a boss. Jack’s swanned off with this doctor fellow, we’ve no idea if he’ll return and one of us needs to be in charge,” Owen said around a mouthful of donut.

“And you think it should be you?” Gwen sputtered.

“Well, who else would you suggest, Gwen? You?”

“Well, I’d be better than you, you can’t even get your paperwork filed right. And let’s not forget you are the one that opened the Rift twice.”

“At least I didn’t set an alien free and get several people killed my first day on the job.”

“Owen!”

“What Tosh? You want a go? You want to be in charge? You think you can unbury your nose from your computer long enough to lead us?”

Ianto watched as the three of them continued arguing until the sound was almost deafening and he was resisting the urge to cover his ears and run screaming from the room. He completely tuned out the conversation until he heard Owen talking about him.

“Or maybe you think teaboy should be in charge. You know, making the coffee, cleaning up the rubbish, rushing in and saving the day?”

“Enough!” he hollered, startling all the others. “Don’t you have anything better to do than squabble amongst yourselves? We betrayed him and he left us because of it and this is how we repay him? How we honor his memory? For God’s sake, it’s no wonder he left. The least we can do is keep Torchwood running, keep protecting Cardiff from the threat of aliens and the Rift. Gwen is in charge. Tosh may be senior but she doesn’t want it, Owen, well I mean, come on do you really want to be in charge? And I may know everything but let’s be honest, I do so much behind the scenes that if I stopped it would all fall apart. Gwen is by far the best choice. She has the police background and good investigative instincts, and outside me, she’s the best shot.”

The three of them stared at him in sheepish silence. And Owen spoke first.

“You’re right. PC Cooper is in charge.”

He turned to Gwen, “So, PC Cooper, what’s our first job?”

**************************

“It’s not easy, just looking at you Jack, ‘cause you’re wrong.”

“Thanks.”

Pain flooded through Jack at the Doctor’s words. Not only did he think Jack was wrong, but he had purposefully left him on Satellite Five. Purposefully left him behind, knowing he was alive and immortal. Jack couldn’t think of a bigger betrayal than that. Nothing his team had ever done, not Ianto hiding a Cyberwoman in the basement, not Owen shooting him, not even all of them opening the Rift, nothing felt like this. And suddenly despite all the “fun” he thought he was having, he wondered why he’d ever left his team behind, why he’d left Ianto behind.

TBC


	2. Into The Breach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of episode tags and in between season forays, told from both Ianto’s POV and Jack’s POV from the time Jack left at the end of End of Days, until shortly after Tommy Brockless’ return to his own time.

Thanks to [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/profile)[**buttononthetop**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/) for the beta, our ADWD chats, and for being my friend and personal cheerleader!

 **CHAPTER TWO – Into the Breach**

Jack gasped back to life, barely registering Saxon’s voice in the background. His attention was focused entirely on Martha. He knew that neither he nor the Doctor would be able to escape, but Martha - Martha just might be able to slip away unnoticed. Quickly, he started unbuckling his wrist strap. She turned to look at him.

“Teleport,” he said, pressing his vortex manipulator into her hands.

“I can’t,” she whispered back.

He spared a quick glance at the Doctor, another at Saxon, ensuring the Time Lord was distracted.

“We can’t stop him. Get out of here.”

Martha fixed those large brown eyes on him again, and he gave her his most determined glare, and knew it was filled with the desperation he was feeling.

“Get out.”

Then they watched in horror as Saxon used his laser screwdriver to age the Doctor. Jack’s heart broke at the sight of the man in front of him. He watched as Martha ran over and gathered the Time Lord in her arms.

“Doctor, I’ve got you,” she cried, pulling him closer to her chest.

Jack closed his eyes, almost as if he was willing Martha to say her goodbyes and make her escape. He could hear Saxon in the background and it wasn’t until the doors opened revealing Martha’s family that Jack refocused on what was going on around him. And then all hell broke loose. The Toclafane asked for orders and Saxon gave them. Jack heard him telling them to remove one tenth of the population and he closed his eyes in a silent prayer to whatever entity might listen. When he opened them, Martha had stepped away from the Doctor. She threw a quick glance at him, another desperate look at her family and then she disappeared. It took everything in him not to collapse back to the floor in relief.

He and the Doctor exchanged a look and even Jack was unable to decipher the thoughts hidden in his eyes. He just hoped that Martha could find his team and hoped desperately that they would stay alive.

************************

Ianto was sitting in Jack’s office, staring unhappily at Gwen sitting behind his desk. She was droning on about something and he was honestly trying to pay attention, but her presence behind Jack’s desk just grated on his nerves. He was thankful she hadn’t tried to move any of the furniture; he might have been forced to shoot her. Speaking of shooting, what was that she just said?

“Ianto!”

“Sorry, Gwen, what did you say? I was wool-gathering.”

“I was saying, with Jack gone we’re short in the field and it’s starting to show. We need to get you up and qual’d on the weapons so you can start going in the field with us more often.”

Ianto couldn’t help but smirk. Gwen apparently didn’t know that he was actually a better marksman than her; he just preferred the stun gun to an actual gun.

“So, weapons training with you?”

He watched as she blushed and knew she was most likely thinking about weapons training with Jack. He rolled his eyes, knowing that was before he and Jack had had whatever it was they had.

“I’m free now, want to have a go?”

Ianto glanced quickly at his watch. He stood up, walking over to the window and looking down into the Hub. Tosh was working on some program on her computer and Owen was up to his eyeballs in green goo. Resignedly, he slid his hands into his pockets and turned to face Gwen.

He smiled at her quickly, his ‘Gwen smile’ Jack called it, and nodded his head.

“No time like the present.”

She nodded and together they walked down the stairs. As he led her down toward the practice range, she yelled back to Tosh and Owen.

“We’ll be down in the firing range. Call us if you need us.”

They made their way down to the weapons range and the two of them set about laying all the weapons used for practice out on the table. Ianto was familiar with all of them but let Gwen go ahead and give him the spiel. He tuned her out and thought back to when Jack had him down here practicing. He shuddered hoping Gwen wouldn’t try to teach the same way.

“Okay, you ready to try one out?”

He slid his ear protection into place and watched as she did the same, smiling encouragingly at him. Ianto confidently walked over to the table, picked up the 9mm, loaded the clip and before Gwen could say anything; he emptied it into the paper target farthest from the line.

He could barely restrain the smug grin that threatened to find its home on his lips as she spluttered in indignation about him starting before she said he could. He let her go on while he calmly walked over to press the button on the wall that would bring the target up to the line so he could change it out.

She stared at the target in front of her. There were seventeen perfect holes forming a tight circle right in the middle of the chest. She gaped at Ianto and he had to bite back laughter at the look on her face, she did look quite like a fish.

“But you, you,” her voice trailed off.

“Just because I don’t go out in the field doesn’t mean I don’t know how to handle a gun.”

“But you use a stun gun.”

“Because I prefer it,” he said simply.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

He shrugged turning back to the table, to clean the Glock and reload the clip, thinking _I did you daft cow. The day you all were arguing over who would be in charge._

“You never asked.”

Gwen was silent for a moment.

“So, are you that good with all of them?”

“I’m trained on all of them.”

“Oh.”

He could feel her watching him as he quickly finished cleaning the gun and put it back together. He turned to face her.

“So, I take it we’re done here?”

She nodded.

He put the weapons away silently, feeling her eyes heavy on his back. And suddenly he started to feel bad. She really was trying hard. Jack had only been gone for two weeks and she had thrown herself into the job. Since he himself had put Gwen in charge he figured he should cut her some slack. When the last weapon was put away he turned to face her.

“Ianto, I’m sorry, I just assumed.”

“It’s okay. Most people assume I’m harmless. I figure it puts me at an advantage,” he shrugged his shoulders.

She smiled tentatively at him. He walked toward her, his hands in his pockets. When he offered her his elbow and she took it, she smiled up at him gratefully.

“So, no more underestimating me?”

She laughed, “Not a chance.”

Neither of them knew they would be regretting those words in just a few short hours.

0000000000000000000000

Ianto lay on his back gasping for breath. He could feel the warm blood trickling down his side. He’d gotten off a few shots and downed the Weevil, but not before its mate managed to swipe his side a good one. He pressed his hand against the wound, pulling it back and grimacing at the amount of blood covering it. Losing that amount of blood was never a good thing. He started to shiver and his vision started to dim. He could just make out some voices calling his name in the distance. At least it sounded like it was a distance. For all he knew they could have been shouting in his ear because he couldn’t see them, he couldn’t see anything anymore as the world around him faded to black.

********************

Jack clenched his jaw, determined not to give the Master the satisfaction of knowing he was in pain. When the shivering started and his vision started to swim, he knew death wasn’t that far off. The Master already knew he couldn’t die but this was the first time he’d taken advantage of it. He’d come in with knives, making shallow cuts at first, then deeper ones when Jack showed little or no reaction. When Jack just grinned maniacally at him, he stabbed him in the gut and left him alone to bleed to death.

The world around Jack went dark and he knew it wouldn’t be long. Ianto’s face swam into view and suddenly he was worried about the younger man and he hoped and wished with his last breath that Martha would find some way to save them all so he could get back to him.

“Ianto,” he whispered with his last escaping breath.

  
TBC


	3. Everything Laid Bare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of episode tags and in between season forays, told from both Ianto’s POV and Jack’s POV from the time Jack left at the end of End of Days, until shortly after Tommy Brockless’ return to his own time.

Thanks to [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/profile)[**buttononthetop**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/) for the beta, our ADWD chats, and for being my friend and personal cheerleader!

 **Chapter Three – Everything Laid Bare**

Jack gasped back to life to find Clive cleaning his blood off the floor and Tish standing there with a bowl of warm pink water and a towel. She’d been cleaning his blood off his dead body.

“Who’s Ianto?” she asked softly.

 _That was the million dollar question wasn’t it_ he thought. He knew now that Ianto  
was more than just the teaboy, more than just a part-time shag – yeah, he’d seen the CCTV footage of that fiasco. He didn’t exactly know what Ianto was, lover, friend, partner, or even if he would ever see Ianto again. He just knew that he wanted to see Ianto again, that he wanted to find out just what Ianto was to him. So he smiled at Tish, winked at her and managed to whisper through cracked lips, “Someone special.”

***********************

Ianto moaned softly, as the SUV hit a bump and jostled him where he lay on the back seat. Owen looked back quickly but turned back to keep his eyes on the road when Tosh nodded. Gwen sat in the passenger seat chewing her nail nervously. Owen rolled his eyes, “Don’t worry, Gwen, teaboy’s going to be fine. He’ll be up making us all coffee in no time.”

She nodded but couldn’t help the guilt that showed plainly in her eyes.

“S’not your fault Gwen,” Ianto gasped out.

“Shh, Ianto, don’t talk,” Tosh admonished him, stroking her fingers through his hair, while holding pressure over his wound with her other hand.

He looked up into her eyes and could see the worry staring back at him, the fear etched in her features and lapsed into silence. He clenched his teeth as the SUV went over another bump and bit his lip to keep himself from cursing Owen and his parentage over his driving skills. It seemed like an eternity before the SUV came to a screeching halt and his three team members were half carrying him, half dragging him down into the Hub.

He didn’t even feel the cold metal slab of the autopsy table underneath him and was in no condition to protest when Owen cut his suit right off of him. Tosh collected the scraps and placed them into a bin bag, sighing sadly over the ruined suit. Fortunately, the tie was okay, as she knew it was one of his favorites. She turned back as Owen was drawing a sheet up over Ianto’s boxers. He shrugged off the act of kindness and turned his attention back to the wound in Ianto’s side.

“Gwen! What the bloody hell happened to the teaboy? You were his partner! How the hell did we end up with two dead Weevils and an injured teaboy?”

Gwen looked down at him from the railing, a helpless, guilt-ridden look on her face.

“I don’t know. One minute we were chasing the Weevils and the next second he’s rolling around on the ground with one of them!”

“S’not her fault,” Ianto muttered weakly from the table.

“Shh, no talking teaboy, not while I’m cleaning and stitching. Tosh, grab me that syringe over there.”

Tosh handed it to him and watched as he injected it into Ianto.

“Something for the pain and a little extra to numb up this area,” he added as he injected the wounded area with a second syringe.

“How bad?”

“It’s all right, mate. A bit of a gash in your side. Wound needs cleaning, Weevils are dirty buggers, seeing as how they live in the sewers. Wouldn’t want you getting infected. Once it’s clean, I’ll use that bit of alien tech Jack doesn’t know I have and get you stitched right up. You’ll barely notice the scar.”

“Jack knows,” Ianto deadpanned.

“I know, he just likes to pretend he doesn’t, now quiet so I can work.”

Ianto drifted off then, letting Owen fix his side.

00000000000000000

When he woke about an hour later, he was still in the autopsy bay and he could hear Owen clattering equipment around as he cleaned. He shifted on the table and couldn’t help the groan of pain that slipped out from his lips.

“Oh finally, you’re awake. You’re healed. The wound is clean, I shot enough antibiotics in there to kill just about any disease known to man, stitched you up, and” he lifted the bandage to look at the healing skin, “I’d say in a day or so you’ll never even know you got up close and personal with a Weevil. Now normally, I’d insist you stay here in the Hub and let Jack look after you, but since the bastard swanned off and we know fuck all about when or if he’s coming back, Tosh has generously volunteered to stay and watch you. And now, there’s some pints and some birds calling my name at the Pub.”

He stripped off his gloves, washed his hands, grabbed his jacket and made his way to the cog door.

“Tosh, call me if he starts to die again. Bye.”

Ianto rolled his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. He laid there for a moment and then tried to sit up.

“Ianto, Owen told you to stay put. What are you doing?” Tosh admonished him.

“I’m hungry and nearly naked, I was thinking about getting dressed and seeing to some takeaway.”

Tosh walked over and laid a pair of jeans and a t-shirt in his lap.

“Here are some clean clothes, and I’ve already called that curry place you like so well. By the time you’re dressed it should be here. Do you need some help?”

Ianto blushed at the thought of Tosh helping him out and couldn’t help but notice the blush coloring her face as well. For a brief moment, dignity warred with avoiding pain, dignity losing when he unfolded the shirt and stabbing pain erupted in his side.

”Um, I think I could use the help, thanks.”

Ianto stood silently as Tosh helped him get the shirt over his head, helping as much as he could without causing pain. He leaned on her shoulders a bit as he stepped into the jeans.

“Sorry,” she said after he let out a gasp while they were shimmying the jeans over his arse.

“It’s okay. I know the drill. That thing stitches up the skin, but the tissues are still traumatized. Less chance of blood loss and infection this way but there’s still pain for the first 24 hours.”

She smiled reassuringly at him and then helped him out of the autopsy bay and over to the couch. He sat there while she went up to collect the food. They ate in silence for a while.

“I don’t want either of you to blame Gwen. She’s doing the best she can.”

Tosh looked at him in surprise, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, Jack’s shoes are pretty big and Gwen’s trying her best. She’s not him, no one will ever be him, but she’s all we’ve got right now and she’s trying.”

“You miss him don’t you,” she said softly.

Ianto stared at his food hard, fighting the hot rush of tears that appeared unexpectedly at her words.

“Yup, but I suspect we all do.”

“But not all of us got a kiss like that.”

He felt his face burn at the memory of Jack kissing him in front of everyone. He started to get up but stopped when he felt her hand on his knee.

“It’s okay you know, to miss him.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” he muttered.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, do you think he’s missing us?” _missing me,_ he thought.

She nodded emphatically.

“I do. Ianto, regardless of how he left, it was obvious he cared about us, about this team, about you.”

“I’m not so sure,” he said softly before turning back to his food, effectively ending the conversation.

**********************

Jack closed his eyes again, picturing Ianto’s face. His hand throbbed from where his fingers had been cut off. His breathing was ragged from where his lung was punctured.

“Come on freak, tell me about your little team down there in Cardiff. Where are they?”

Jack just ignored him; he knew it wouldn’t be much longer now. The darkness was already coming; he could feel it just around the edges.

“The only name I’ve heard you speak is Ianto, what a boring Welsh name that is. Come on, give me something to go on, anything!”

Jack shuddered at Ianto’s name, willing his body to just give in already so the torture session for today would be over.

“Fine, have it your way. We’ll start again tomorrow.”

But Jack wasn’t listening. Jack was thinking about Cardiff and Ianto. He was remembering Ianto and the look on his face the last time he’d kissed him, right before he’d left to come here and die. Jack never even saw the Master raise the gun and fire.

  
TBC


	4. Killing Ianto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of episode tags and in between season forays, told from both Ianto’s POV and Jack’s POV from the time Jack left at the end of End of Days, until shortly after Tommy Brockless’ return to his own time.

Thanks to [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/profile)[**buttononthetop**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/) for the beta, our ADWD chats, and for being my friend and personal cheerleader!

 **Chapter Four – Killing Ianto**

Jack had no idea how long he’d been down in the bowels of the ship. He suspected several months, but there was no real way to tell. He’d lost track of how many times he’d been killed and come back, he’d stopped counting after about a hundred. The Master seemed to thrive on finding new ways to kill him. He’d been stabbed, burned, suffocated, drowned, poisoned, bled, starved, infected, shot more times then he cared to count, and he’d died of thirst at least once.

Each and every time the Master would ask about Torchwood and his team. They had apparently been sent on some wild goose chase to the Himalayas but the Master hadn’t been able to find them or their bodies. Until now.

“Hello Freak! I can’t wait to show you what I have for you today.”

Saxon rubbed his hands together enthusiastically.

Jack knew that whatever he had in store for him it wasn’t going to be good. Not with the maniacal glee evident on Saxon’s face.

“We finally captured the leader of the Cardiff resistance, a fellow by the name of Jones, Ianto Jones.”

Jack felt his heart leap up into his throat and his stomach drop to his knees. If he’d had any breakfast he would have lost it, instead he found himself swallowing back the bitter taste of bile that had risen into his mouth.

“Turns out this fellow was one of yours. Worked for Torchwood. Somehow he escaped my little trip to the Himalayas and found his way back here. Too bad for him. Good for me. Boys?”

Jack watched as the guards pushed Ianto into the room before them. Jack closed his eyes at the sight of Ianto’s bloodied and bruised form. He suspected from the way he was being dragged that at least one of his legs had been broken.

“Aww, come on Freak, don’t you want to see your precious Ianto?”

Jack shuddered at the sound of Ianto’s name coming from that psychopathic bastard’s mouth, but he opened his eyes to see Ianto’s blue ones staring right back at him. He tried to convey everything he could through his own eyes. He had to fight back tears when Ianto winked at him, before grimacing in pain.

“So, tell me Freak, how does Mr. Jones get to die? Poison? No, too long. I could bleed him to death, I remember that was a particularly good day. You lasted quite a while.”

Jack ignored him and just held Ianto’s gaze. Their gazes spoke volumes. Jack apologized for all that had happened and for all that was about to happen and Ianto told him not to worry that he understood.

The Master droned, on both men ignoring him, gazes locked, lost in their own world together. Jack raised an eyebrow in question and his heart broke when Ianto shook his head almost imperceptibly. So, Ianto was the only one left. Jack hung his head in defeat, losing Ianto’s gaze, his grief overwhelming him.

When he looked back up, his vision blurry through unshed tears, he could see tears shining in Ianto’s eyes as well. Both men knew they only had moments left.

“Don’t give up Jack, please, don’t give up,” Ianto pleaded, his voice thick with tears.

“I’m sorry Ianto, I’m so sorry,” Jack finally sobbed.

Nothing the Master had done so far had come even close to breaking him, but knowing his team was dead, and that Ianto would soon be joining them broke his heart.

Saxon laughed, “So I was right, you do feel something for the young Mr. Jones. Glad I left him until last. That’s right, last. Your other team members are dead, freak, every last one of them, even that pretty Asian girl. Although, she didn’t scream as lovely as that little Welsh bit did. Shame really. Stoic to the end she was.”

Ianto smiled through his tears, “Good for you Tosh.”

The Master turned to him, “A bit like you really. This is the most emotion I’ve seen out of you as well. What a good move this was bringing you in here with the freak.”

“Well, get on with it then. Time’s wasting,” Ianto spit out vehemently.

Jack just hung there in his shackles, tears streaming down his face.

“I’m sorry Ianto.”

“Not your fault Jack. I did enough on my own to be brought here. Nothing to do with you.”

“That’s where you’re wrong Mr. Jones. You see, this is the best reaction I’ve gotten out of him yet and I’ve been very creative. I suspect he’ll be a different man when you’re gone.  
I’m going to get great pleasure out of killing you in front of him, just to watch him break.”

Ianto looked at Jack, who could see the apology forming in his eyes.

“No, Ianto, don’t!”

Ianto headbutted the guard on his left and lunged toward the guard on his right, scrabbling for his weapon with bound hands, determined that his death was going to be on his terms. He refused to let Jack be hurt by watching this evil psychopath torture him to death.

“Ianto! NO!”

The Master laughed wildly, raising his gun and aiming it at the younger man.

“Say goodbye, freak!”

“Ianto, I love you!”

Ianto turned in surprise to look at Jack, his face barely registering the shock when the bullet ripped into his head.

Jack watched his lover crumple to the floor in front of him and he couldn’t help the sobs that wracked his body. He never heard the Master’s gleeful laugh at finally breaking the mighty Captain Jack Harkness. He never saw him leave. He just hung there staring at Ianto’s body and the slowly congealing pool of blood underneath it.

Jack felt a part of his soul rip away and die with Ianto and he knew that nothing that happened after this would ever compare. He died with Ianto even though the Master didn’t actually kill him that day.

***************

Ianto was in the firing range for some target practice. He’d been down there for hours. Tosh, Owen, and Gwen had been taking turns watching him over the CCTV.

“I don’t know what he expects to gain by spending hours shooting at paper weevils. It’s not going to bring him back,” Owen said derisively.

“Owen,” Tosh said sharply.

Ianto reloaded his gun. Jack had been gone two months now and the team had started to reform. Gwen had taken quite nicely to leading, although Owen gave orders in the field. Ianto always found that a bit amusing, but he had to admit the doctor was good at what he did. He emptied another clip into the target and reloaded again.

“How long’s he been down there this time?” Gwen asked quietly.

“About 3 hours.”

Gwen looked over at Tosh and the woman smiled sympathetically back at her.

“Guess, I better go say something to him then.”

“Let me go this time. I’ll ask him to take me to the pub.”

Gwen smiled gratefully at Tosh.

“Thanks Tosh, he always does respond better to you.”

Owen rolled his eyes, “Whatever, I’m out of here. You two birds can hold the crying teaboy, I’m going to go hold a pint or two. Later.”

Neither of them even watched him leave. Tosh put her programs on standby, leaving the important ones running and then gathered her things. She could see that Gwen was doing the same thing.

“Don’t worry Gwen, we’ll lock up when we leave.”

Gwen smiled at her, “Thanks again Tosh.”

Tosh returned her smile and then headed toward the firing range.

As Ianto reloaded the gun he wondered who had drawn the short straw to come down and to stop him this time. Tosh was his favorite. Owen always sneered at him and they would end up in a verbal pissing match. Gwen, he had to stifle a bit of a laugh, Gwen never knew whether to be his leader or his friend. If she came down as the acting leader of Torchwood Three it was always more uncomfortable because she still didn’t feel quite right bossing him around when she knew he knew more about running Torchwood than she did. When she came down as a friend, it just felt weird to have her consoling him about Jack’s absence. He didn’t want to be comforted like some grieving lover.

Jack was gone. He’d left them of his own free will and for good reason. He might never be coming back. So grieving was out of the question. He didn’t deserve to grieve. It was partly his fault Jack was gone, so he deserved to miss him but he didn’t deserve to grieve. And as for being a grieving lover, apart from that kiss right before Jack left, Ianto wasn’t sure what, if any, relationship they had ever really had and he wasn’t about to share that with Gwen. He looked up to see Tosh walk into the firing range. She smiled and stood off to the side, nodding at him. He nodded in return and took up his firing stance once again.  
When he’d unloaded the clip into the target, he took his ear protection off and set it on the table. Ianto watched in silence as the paper target moved his way. Satisfied with the 17 hits right in the center he turned to look at Tosh. She stepped forward as he started to talk.

“So, you got the short straw again?”

“I volunteered,” she said softly.

“Why?”

“Because I worry about you.”

He laughed derisively, “So does Gwen.”

“True, but you like me better.”

This time his laugh was genuine.

“Does it show that much?”

She walked over to stand beside him and help him put the weapons away.

“Nope, only to me because I know you.”

He thought about that for a moment. Tosh really did know him, better than anyone else he supposed, outside of Jack that is.

“She means well.”

“Yes she does, but I suspect it’s harder for you with her because of how she feels about Jack.”

Ianto’s movements stilled and he turned to look at Tosh. She smiled and shrugged, “She does make it rather obvious.”

Ianto chuckled, “I suppose you’re right.”

They packed the rest of the weapons away in silence.

“So, ready to take me to the Pub?”

“That’s my punishment?”

“Yup.”

“Then I’d be proud to escort you, Ms. Sato,” he said extending his arm to her.

She grinned at him as she took it and let him lead her up and out of the Hub. They walked in silence to the Pub, Ianto got her seated and then went up to the bar to place their orders. He came back with two pints and told her the food would be a few minutes.

After they’d taken a few sips of their pints, Tosh set hers down and took a deep breath.

“You know you don’t have to keep beating yourself up over him leaving. It wasn’t your fault.”

“No, but what I did didn’t help things any.”

Tosh sighed.

“Ianto, we were all at fault. Owen shot him! I stood by and watched and Gwen, Gwen typed everything into the computer to open the Rift.”

“But I betrayed him first,” Ianto said quietly.

“Oh Ianto,” Tosh reached across the table and squeezed his hand.

“He forgave you for Lisa a long time ago. You know that right?”

He laughed derisively again, “And then I went and added insult to injury by disobeying a direct order from him. You saw the look on his face when I told him I wouldn’t stop Owen from opening the Rift.”

Tosh reached across the table and took his hand.

“Yes, I did, but I also saw the kiss when he came back.”

Ianto blushed and muttered, “Everyone saw that kiss.”

“That’s my point Ianto. We all saw that kiss. It wasn’t an ‘I’m glad I’m alive and back’ kiss, it was a ‘Thank God I’m alive and I cannot wait to show you how much’ kiss.”

“Glad enough that he swanned off with the Doctor only a few hours later.”

Tosh never had any time to reply because her PDA started beeping.

“Rift alarm, we have to go.”

Ianto threw his napkin on the table and pulled out his mobile to call Owen while Tosh called Gwen.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know, but it looks like something big,” she called over her shoulder as they raced across the Plass toward the Hub.

Owen and Gwen met them a little while later, Ianto moving to the backseat to let Owen drive.

“Whatever it is, it’s moving toward Bute Park.”

“Bollocks!”

Owen pressed on the accelerator a bit harder the SUV lurched forward. Soon, all four of them were running through Bute Park, weapons drawn.

“All right, spread out. Gwen you’re with me, Ianto, you and Tosh go east.”

Ianto and Tosh moved out, guns at the ready. Ianto went first, shielding Tosh from whatever they might come across. They moved slowly along the tree line, Ianto turning at every sound that echoed through the twilight.

“Ianto!”

He whirled around at Tosh’s scream to see a blur jumping out of the trees at her. Instinctively, he leapt forward and pushed her aside. He fought with the creature, grappling with it, unable to use his gun. They rolled around on the ground, the alien snarling at him, baring razor sharp teeth in a malicious smile. He never heard Tosh screaming over the comms for Owen and Gwen. He never felt the creature’s knife like appendage slice into his abdomen or take swipes at his legs and arms. He did feel its teeth sink into his shoulder; he felt his own blood warm, wet, and sticky on his shoulder.

Desperately, he kneed it in the area he assumed was its groin. It let out a rage-filled scream and lifted off of from him enabling Tosh to take a shot. The creature collapsed back down onto him in a heap of turquoise colored fur. Ianto took a deep shuddering breath underneath the creature and felt his world starting to go black. He knew he should try to stay conscious, he knew he should try to focus on Tosh’s voice but the darkness was just too tempting and he thought he could hear Jack calling him. So he drifted off and let the darkness envelop him, moving toward the sound of Jack’s voice.

 _“You tell me Ianto, what do you see?”_

He never heard his reply but he mouthed the words as he slipped away.

 _“I see you, sir. I see you.”_

****************************

Jack clenched his jaw against the pain. He kept telling himself this was nothing in comparison to the day he’d watched Ianto Jones die in front of him. He closed his eyes and pictured Ianto’s face, remembered the way he smelled, and felt the taste of Ianto fill his mouth. He thought about licking his neck, sucking his nipple, and nuzzling his lover’s groin.

“Freak! Pay attention!”

The Master’s voice yanked him unpleasantly back to the present. He felt the burning iron twisting in his gut, cooking him from the inside out. The agony was almost unbearable and then with a final thrust it was. He felt the blackness closing around him, the edges of his vision going blurry as death came to claim him once again at the Master’s hand. The image of Ianto in his head was so strong he almost thought he could hear him in the darkness. He heard his own voice and knowing that Ianto’s would soon follow, he got swept away by the memory.

 _“You tell me Ianto, what do you see?”_

 _He remembered waiting for what felt like an eternity for Ianto’s answer. And just when Jack thought he wasn’t going to answer, Ianto laid his hand down an open invitation for Jack to take it and take it he did. He twined their fingers until they blended together. He continued staring at Ianto until finally the younger man looked at him and whispered, barely audible above the roar of the encroaching darkness._

 _“I see you, sir. I see you.”_

  
TBC


	5. It's Always Darkest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of episode tags and in between season forays, told from both Ianto’s POV and Jack’s POV from the time Jack left at the end of End of Days, until shortly after Tommy Brockless’ return to his own time.

Thanks to [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/profile)[**buttononthetop**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/) for the beta, our ADWD chats, and for being my friend and personal cheerleader!

 **Chapter Five – It’s Always Darkest**

The Master was dead. Jack stood there watching the Doctor holding the dying Time Lord in his lap, arms wrapped around him. He knew the Doctor, knew how lonely he was, and yet it still hurt to watch him mourn the man that had tried to destroy the world, imprisoned Martha’s family, repeatedly killed him, and almost killed the Doctor himself.

Whatever illusions Jack had about the Doctor, they were gone and now Jack just wanted to go home. He looked over at the Doctor again and seeing the tears on his face, the hardness in his heart melted just a bit. Nope, he wasn’t starry-eyed anymore, but that didn’t mean he didn’t feel for the Doctor. He felt a lot for the Doctor, in fact his feeling were so messed up he wasn’t sure they’d ever get straight. The one thing he **did** know was that it was time to go home. This travelling around wasn’t for him anymore. It might be for him again in the future, but now, now Cardiff and Torchwood Three were his home. Ianto was his home, and he just wanted to be with him again.

Which is how he found himself standing on the Plass with Martha and the Doctor several hours later, telling them that it was time for him to get back to work. The Doctor asked him to come with him, to travel with him again, and he turned him down flat, turned him down to go back to his team. With a crisp salute and a funny story about being called the Face of Boe, he took off running across the Plass, back to his Hub, his team, and his Ianto.

****************************

Ianto sighed as they traipsed back to the car, a few minutes late again. They’d been chasing this bloody blowfish since the early hours of the morning. He watched as Owen slid confidently behind the wheel and Gwen climbed into the passenger side. Tosh was already in the backseat with him, firing up her laptop, attempting to trace that damned fish’s trail again.

Over the last four months they had really solidified as a team. Gwen was the de facto leader of Torchwood Three. Ianto ran interference for her, kept up Jack’s usual contacts, did the PM calls himself – the PM was always happier to talk to him than Jack anyway. He managed all of the finances, reports, everything he did for Jack he did for Gwen. _Well, not quite everything_ , he thought, smirking.

The archives were in order; he’d even managed to keep the secure archives and Jack’s personal archive in order and away from prying eyes. Always important, especially when he was dealing with a Rift victim destined for Flat Holm. Jack kept the phone he used for Flat Holm in his personal archive. Ianto was the only person who knew it existed.

Tosh had her Rift predictor program up and running in a beta form. There were still a lot of kinks to work out, but it allowed all of them to get a night off now and then. It also allowed Ianto to stay ahead of Flat Holm. He’d been the one to notice that it was predicting those negative spikes and recently he’d been able to be there almost before the victim showed up.

Owen had even managed to stay on top of all the autopsies and keep his paperwork up to date. He still called Ianto teaboy, but it wasn’t used in a derogatory way anymore, not since Ianto had saved his life a few weeks before. He’d ended up on the wrong end of a spider-like alien. He’d been pinned underneath it by one of its eight legs and it had just started spinning him in silk before it tried to sink its fangs into him. Ianto had shot the leg pinning him and then shot the spider thing in the head, killing it instantly.

That, combined with Ianto’s own brushes with death had brought about an understanding and a certain level of camaraderie between the two men. Owen was still a prat there was no doubt about that, but they had a fair amount of respect for each other now. And he was good at giving orders in the field. Ianto had no trouble following his lead. They’d figured out early on, that although Gwen was good at planning ops, and a lot of the background leader stuff, Owen was just a bit better in the field. Ianto suspected it was because he was the more ruthless of the two.

Gwen had gained a lot of confidence. She was a good leader, she knew when to step up and when to step back and let one of the others take over. She had a knack for picking cases and even Ianto had to admit she was very gifted when it came to investigating. Cases were getting solved faster and more efficiently. She was a hard task master but everyone had stepped up to the plate.

Ianto felt the SUV lurch underneath him when Owen stepped on the gas and as he looked around him he allowed himself a small smile. They’d become a well-oiled machine. He felt a slight twinge when he thought about that. It had taken Jack leaving them for them to come together and forge that type of bond.

He took a deep breath. He’d come a long way in the four months Jack had been gone. He’d been so angry and hurt at first. The anger had lasted a while, the hurt longer, almost two months. Then he’d had his brush with death, he’d relived that moment with Jack in the showers after John had killed himself. He’d told Jack that he saw him, knew what he looked like without his mask. He’d started thinking. Maybe it was time to take off his mask as well. So he’d taken it off, let the others close and started living. The pain of Jack leaving had started to ease until most days it was just a dull ache in the back of his mind that he didn’t even think about. He’d even started going out with the team and laughing of all things!

He braced himself as Owen screeched around a corner, hearing the wheels squeal.

“Damn it, Owen, be careful!” Gwen admonished from the passenger seat.

Ianto could see the eyeroll in the rearview mirror.

“Tosh, do you have a location yet?”

“Not yet, working on it.”

“Work faster.”

“Shut it,” Ianto growled, earning himself an eyeroll, and he resisted the urge to flip Owen a two-fingered salute.

He stared out the window watching as the daylight faded to dusk and then became twilight.

“I’ve got something!” Tosh shouted.

“Where?”

“He’s headed for Splott.”

“Bloody hell, why doesn’t that surprise me,” Owen muttered before spinning the wheel and making a u-turn in the middle of traffic.

“Owen, do you have to drive so bloody fast? Slow down!”

“Shut it, Gwen!”

Ianto braced himself again, closing his eyes in a silent plea that they wouldn’t crash. He started loading rounds into the spare clips, making sure all the weapons were ready to go. He looked up and saw an elderly woman staring off down the road in front of them.

“Pull over,” Ianto ordered.

“Why?”

“Just do it.”

Owen swung the wheel over until they were stopped next to the old woman. Gwen rolled her window down to talk to her.

“Excuse me, have you seen a blowfish driving a sports car?”

Disbelief showing on the woman’s face, she pointed in the direction they were now headed.

“Thank you.”

Owen pressed the accelerator and they roared off.

Tosh had the DNA on her screen and was rattling off facts.

“Species not on record, DNA type says some sort of landfish.”

Gwen looked over at Owen, “All I’m saying is you are speeding and there are children.”

“Well, if kids are out at midnight I say they’ve got it coming.”

“Detecting high levels of algi.”

“Who’s afraid of the big scary fish then?” Gwen laughed.

“Big fish with a gun.”

“Special weapons?” Ianto asked Tosh.

“Not that I can see.”

He rolled his eyes, “Do **we** need special weapons?” he said, taking the safety off and cocking the gun.

“What are we going to do when we catch it?” Owen asked.

“Jack would know,” Tosh exclaimed.

“Yeah, well Jack’s not here is he? Jack’s disappeared. Fat lot of good Jack is.”

Ianto didn’t miss the look Gwen gave Owen or the sudden pall that came over the car. Trust Owen to bring everyone down and here he was just thinking they were all doing so well.

“Blowfish!” Gwen shouted, pointing straight ahead.

“Hold on!”

Ianto braced himself again as Owen seemed to determined to break the sound barrier in the SUV. They careened around corners rocketing after the blowfish.

“Hold the wheel!”

“Don’t you dare Owen!”

“Hold the wheel!” he yelled unbuckling his seat belt.

Ianto and Tosh watched as he rolled his window down and slid out, firing his gun three times, hitting the tire on the third try. He slid back in, throwing Gwen a smug look, blowing in the muzzle of his gun. They watched the sports car crash and Owen pulled the SUV to a halt. They jumped out, guns at the ready.

“Where is he? Where’s he gone?”

And then all hell broke loose. There was gunfire in a nearby home and they went racing in through the front door. Owen started barking orders, telling Gwen to go left, Tosh right, and Ianto right down the center. Ianto found himself face to face with the blowfish and the young girl he was holding hostage. His heart was pounding so hard it felt like his chest was going to burst.

“Massive levels of adrenalin, mixed with approximately three grams of cocaine. This fish is wired.”

“So, this is Team Torchwood. The teacher’s pets. But teacher’s gone hasn’t he, leaving the kiddie kids all alone.”

Ianto stared at the blowfish, aiming his gun at him, wondering if he could get a shot off without hitting the girl. Trying to tune out his words, he couldn’t help but listen.

“And look at you, trying so hard to be all grown up. The doctor with his hands full of blood.”

Ianto looked over at Owen, who’d stripped off his jacket to work on the injured man and who glanced up briefly to throw a cold glare at the blowfish.

“The carer with her oh so beating heart, the technician with her cold devices, which leaves me with the office boy, promoted beyond his measure.”

Ianto glared at him, promoted beyond his measure indeed. He tightened his grip on the gun, adjusting his aim slightly.

“All of you lost without your master, all of you pretending to be so brave, all of you so scared,” he laughed derisively.

 _This guy is really starting to piss me off,_ Ianto thought, swallowing hard and trying desperately to slow his heart rate down.

The blowfish sniffed at the girl’s hair before turning back to them.

“So what about it minions? Can you do it? How good are you?”

The damn thing was mocking them! It infuriated Ianto but at the same time made him more nervous than ever. He was continuing to try and tune out his words but they were starting to get to him, especially seeing as how he was on point and had the clearest shot.

“How sharp is your aim? What if you kill her?”

Ianto felt sweat bead up on his forehead as he watched the blowfish switch from side to side, unable to get a clear shot, and unable to stop his hands from shaking just the tiniest bit.

“What if I kill her first? Can you shoot before I do?”

Mockingly, the idiot switched sides again.

“Can you? Dare you? Would you? Won’t you?”

And then a shot rang out, putting a hole right through the blowfish’s head, splattering his brains all over the curtains and the wall behind him.

Ianto watched in disbelief as the blowfish crumpled to the ground and then he looked at his gun in confusion before turning around to see….Jack.

Jack was standing there, right there behind him. His gun drawn and still smoking, looking quite the hero. He looked at all of them and then slowly lowered his weapon.

“Hey kids, did you miss me?” and he broke out into that trademark Jack Harkness grin,  
laughing that smug laugh of his.

Jack was back.

  
TBC


	6. Here's Jaaaackkk!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of episode tags and in between season forays, told from both Ianto’s POV and Jack’s POV from the time Jack left at the end of End of Days, until shortly after Tommy Brockless’ return to his own time.

Thanks to [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/profile)[**buttononthetop**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/) for the beta, our ADWD chats, and for being my friend and personal cheerleader!

 **Chapter Six – Here’s Jaaaack!**

Jack had told the team they had the night off. Their only assignment was to make sure they didn’t run into their other selves. So here he was, standing on a roof, watching his other self with Ianto. He watched them walk into the office building and replayed the scene in his mind. Ianto being his normal efficient self and rebuffing his come-ons. And him, actually asking Ianto out on a date. He cringed at how vulnerable he’d sounded. He wondered if Ianto had noticed. The younger man had said yes and Jack instantly flushed with pleasure again at the thought.

He saw the door open and watched Ianto run out and race over to the SUV. He knew he was going to find Owen and Tosh and then they’d go find Gwen. He watched the roof knowing that within moments he would be up there with John. He turned away for a moment, memories of his life with John flooding his mind. That was so long ago and he was a different person now. He shook his head at John wishing they could go back to their old ways.

He let himself think back for a moment. Some good times had been had between the two of them. Of that there was no question. But he’d just turned down traveling with the Doctor, as if Captain John Hart, a ruthless conman, would entice him away from here, when the Doctor couldn’t. He shook his head again and watched the action of the roof, trying to prepare himself for what he knew was to come.

And seconds later, he knew he wasn’t even close to ready. He watched John push him off the roof, watched his body fall, and watched himself almost break in half over the bench. His vision blurred and his stance wavered.

 _“So Freak, think you can survive being broken in half?”_

 _Jack had stared at him, incredulous, and his heart had started to pound. He hated dying, and he especially hated dying from falling. Sure, it wasn’t the worst way to go, but the paralyzing fear during the fall, and then having his bones reknit themselves was especially painful. It wasn’t a particularly bad way to die, but it was a horrible way to come back from. About the only thing worse was being burnt to death._

Jack shuddered at the memory. He’d been burned to death before, it was a horrifying way to come back to life, skin burned off, tissues swollen, muscles practically liquefied. It had taken three actual deaths and resurrections before he’d completely healed. The Master had only done it once because it had taken so long for him to come back.

He raised his eyes to the roof again, saw himself too close to the rail and had to resist shouting out a warning, knowing that he couldn’t change what happened. He watched in horror as John shoved him and he tumbled over the railing. He felt the familiar paralyzing fear clutch his chest.

 _“Let’s find out.”_

 _The Master nodded to the guards who unshackled him and dragged him to the top of the service elevator shaft. He tried to still the shaking of his hands, the trembling in his body. He wasn’t afraid of dying, after all, he knew he would come back, but why did it have to be this way?_

 _“Any final requests freak?”_

 _When Jack remained silent he nodded again to the guards who prodded him to the edge of the shaft then moved away. They always let the Master do his own dirty work, it was the way he liked it._

 _“Good. Have fun falling, freak.”_

 _He shoved Jack lightly, barely enough to make him trip, but he was so close to the edge it was enough to send him right over. He felt that paralyzing dread grip his heart, felt the fear clench his throat as he freefell through space down the elevator shaft. They say that your entire life flashes before your eyes right before you die – they were right. He always felt like he was watching his life on fast forward, and this time was no exception, except the fast forward felt like it was in some sort of weird slow motion. He could see the bottom of the shaft rushing up toward him and he cringed, bracing for impact._

 _For a brief moment, he felt the impact, felt his spine crunch and bend backwards, felt the air rush out of his lungs as they were punctured, felt his heart explode as shards of bone sliced through it in several places and then there was nothing but blackness._

Jack felt the darkness surrounding him, felt the scream trying to claw its way out of his throat and pierce the night air. Fortunately, it was covered by the one from his other self and only the pigeons on the roof heard. He slid down to sit on the cold concrete, holding his head in his hands, attempting to stop the flood of unwanted memories of torture and death until he was left shaking and sweaty.

He knew deep down what he needed, where he needed to go, but he wasn’t sure he’d be welcome there. He wiped his face, grimacing at the sweat that ended up on his palm. He shook it off and then wiped it on his coat before making his way out of the building. Shakily, he climbed into the SUV and drove off into the night.

******************************

Ianto toweled his hair dry as he walked through his flat. His jeans were slung low on his hips as he padded barefoot into the kitchen to get himself a pint. There were a few drops of water that clung to his chest and dripped onto his shoulders from his hair. He shook his head, he’d been too overwhelmed to do a thorough job.

Jack was back.

He opened the fridge door and pulled out a beer. Popping the top he took a long swig.  
Jack was back.

He rooted through the cupboards finally coming up with a bag of crisps. Ianto munched on them and sipped his beer as he walked through his flat until he found himself on the couch in front of the telly. Resolutely, he turned it on, flipping channels until he landed on something inane, something he didn’t have to think about. It was some crash ‘em up American action movie. Perfect brainless fun.

His mind was too full to concentrate on anything else.

Jack was back.

He’d been gone for four months, traveling with the Doctor. Whatever solution he’d been looking for he hadn’t found it so he’d come back. Ianto wondered if coming back had been Jack’s second choice, if he was settling. Ianto snorted, wouldn’t surprise him if it was a bit of both.

He stood up and paced. He hadn’t felt this bitter about Jack leaving in months. And this Jack was different than the one who had left. Ianto couldn’t put his finger on it but something had changed. This Jack seemed a bit more open and a bit more vulnerable. He thought about the few things Jack had said over the course of the evening. He’d actually answered the team’s questions about where he’d gone and what he’d been doing. Granted, the answers were vague, but he’d answered them.

Ianto shook his head as he remembered when he’d asked, rather pathetically, if he was going back to the Doctor. His heart skipped a beat as he remembered Jack saying he’d come back for him. Of course, he’d immediately qualified that by saying he’d come back for all of them.

Then Gwen had paired them up, they’d ended up at that office building searching for that bloody device and Jack had opened up even more. Jack had leaned up against one of the supports and asked him how he was. The man had bloody well asked him how he was! When he’d rebuffed him with a pat answer, Jack had almost pleaded with him to be honest, saying, “Can we maybe drop the sir?” and had proceeded to ask him out on a date. A fucking date!

And he’d accepted! For fuck’s sake he’d accepted a date with the man! Of course, that was after he’d asked, again rather pathetically, why they were helping John Hart. He took another sip of his beer. He knew he wasn’t over Jack, not by any stretch of the imagination, but he also wasn’t sure he was ready to have the man back in his bed. Dating would be good for both of them. A lot had happened in four months.

Jack had left without saying a word and he’d done it directly after making their relationship public. Ianto felt the familiar anger over that flare up and automatically tamped it down. It was over and done with, water under the bridge and frankly, seemed like a whole lifetime ago. Did he still want an explanation? Hell, yes he did. And Jack had a lot of ground to make up before Ianto would ever let him back in his bed, but a date was a good start, provided it actually happened.

Taking a deep breath and another sip of his beer, he moved to the window to look out and wasn’t surprised to see Jack standing across the street watching his flat. He pulled his earpiece out of his pocket and slipped it into his ear. He tapped it lightly until it was set to the private channel they used to share.

“Jack. Might be easier if you watch me from inside. You might even get coffee.”

Chuckling, he watched as Jack hung his head in defeat and made his way across the street. He waited until Jack knocked on his door.

He opened it slowly and pushed it back, moving to give Jack room to enter. Jack slid past him and stood almost forlornly in the entryway. Ianto reached for his coat and that finally spurred Jack into action, letting Ianto take his coat and toeing off his shoes. He turned to look at Ianto expectantly.

Ianto looked at him, his own expression guarded. And then he noticed how pale Jack looked, noticed the slight tremble in his hands, as he hastily shoved them into his pockets. He could almost smell the stale sweat that he could see had dampened Jack’s shirt. This Jack was **not** the Jack who had left four months ago. Oh he was trying to pretend he was, flirting and smiling but Ianto knew he wasn’t. So the dry remark he had planned died on his lips and he smiled encouragingly at the older man instead.

“Why don’t you come in and sit down. I’ll make you some coffee.”

  
TBC


	7. Just Us, For As Long As It Takes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of episode tags and in between season forays, told from both Ianto’s POV and Jack’s POV from the time Jack left at the end of End of Days, until shortly after Tommy Brockless’ return to his own time.

Thanks to [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/profile)[**buttononthetop**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/) for the beta, our ADWD chats, and for being my friend and personal cheerleader!

 **Chapter Seven – Just Us For As Long As It Takes**

Jack sat at his desk completing some forms. He detested paperwork. Ianto had always tried to make less of it for him. To be honest he still did, but Jack made more of an effort now that he was back to finish his own paperwork. He leaned back from his desk, steepling his fingers under his chin thinking about earlier in the day.

He chuckled, Ianto had been so pissed about the duct tape and the CB antenna. Jack had been putting on a new shirt and Ianto had come storming back into his office. Jack had listened to his ranting and smiled sheepishly and apologetically and promised never again to use duct tape and get the SUV “disconcertingly sticky.”

He pushed back from his desk thinking that was something he could take care of right now. He rummaged around in the kitchen and the autopsy bay until he found a bucket and a rag. He filled it with warm soapy water and went down to the car park. With them executing Beth, he knew Ianto had been too busy to worry about the SUV and too knackered at the end of the day. He’d ordered Ianto to go home and worry about the SUV tomorrow.

Jack wet the rag in the soapy water and went to work on the mirror. He scrubbed at the gummy residue, realizing now why Ianto was so upset. This was going to be a bitch to get off. As he scrubbed he thought about Ianto and the team. They had made such progress while he was gone. He’d almost felt unneeded when he came back. They worked so cohesively together, better than they ever had before he left. Best of all, Ianto was a full-fledged member of the team now. He went out in the field with them, and Gwen had informed him that Ianto really was the best shot of all of them; he just preferred the stun gun.

Jack could understand Ianto’s choice. After Canary Wharf and Lisa, it made sense that Ianto would prefer a less violent means of subduing someone. The young man had really come out of his shell during the months he was gone. Jack knew Ianto had a dry wit, knew he was one of the most caring members of the team, and knew that he thrived on keeping things organized and caring for everyone else. Unfortunately, it had taken his disappearance for the rest of the team to realize all that. If one good thing had come of the year that never was, it was that.

As he scrubbed at another particularly gummy spot, he thought about the date he’d asked Ianto on. He’d been so nervous. He’d had so much time to think during that year and one of the decisions he’d come to was that Ianto was important to him. Spending a year being tortured had taught him that it was his good memories that would get him through the hard times. Regardless of how much it would hurt when Ianto died, he knew he could make some good memories with the young man and he wanted to try. Asking him out on a proper date was his first step in the right direction. He wanted to make a go of it with Ianto but he wanted to do it the right way, not just a shag here and there in the archives or bent over his desk like before. So he’d stepped out on that limb and asked him on a proper date. He smiled when he thought about Ianto saying yes.

He scratched at some of the residue with his thumb. They hadn’t gone on the date yet because Torchwood business was constantly getting in the way, but Jack fully intended to take Ianto out to dinner and a movie if he wanted. It didn’t really matter to Jack what they did, as long as it made Ianto happy and it was just the two of them having a real conversation about non-Torchwood things, Jack would be happy.

He wanted Ianto to know he was important, that what they had before wasn’t just a part-time thing, that he wasn’t the “teaboy” as Owen called him. Jack shook his head, Ianto was so much more than that, and he was going to show him, the best way he knew how.

He stood back and looked at the mirror. It had taken a while, and now he needed a shower, but the tape residue was gone. Knowing Ianto, he’d want to wash and wax the whole SUV all over again, but at least the gummy stuff was gone. Jack threw the rag back in the bucket and carried it back into the Hub. After a quick shower, he looked at the time. _Good_ , he thought, _it’s still early enough._

He dressed carefully, strapping his Webley back on and grabbing his coat and setting the Hub to alert his wrist strap with any Rift alerts. He climbed into the SUV and roared off into the night with a smile on his face.

**************************************

Ianto padded out into the kitchen in his bare feet. He’d toweled his hair dry so it was sticking up at odd angles, but at least it wasn’t dripping down his bare chest anymore. He opened the fridge door and sighed when he realized there was little or no food to be had. He’d forgotten to go to the store. Closing the door with a huff, he almost had to laugh when his stomach picked that moment to let out a huge growl. Resolutely, he walked over to the cupboard to see if he had anything, even a package of crisps would do at this point.

As he stared at the empty cupboard he couldn’t help but think of the work he’d left undone. Jack had duct taped a CB antenna to the SUV’s side mirror. He’d managed to get the tape off but it had left behind a horrible gummy residue that he probably would end up having to scrape off.

When he’d confronted Jack about it, the Captain had been appropriately sheepish and apologetic. Ianto had probably been a little harsher than he’d intended but he knew why Jack had been changing his shirt. He’d been stabbed by one of the aliens in the sleeper cell, stabbed right through the heart. How he’d managed to stay alive long enough to get the last bit of information out of him, and then run with Gwen and Beth to safety before the man’s explosive blew up, Ianto would never know. But Gwen had told him, Jack **had** died shortly after that, reviving a few minutes later in order to drive the two women back to the Hub.

Ianto hated it when Jack died, hated it every single time. He’d worried the whole time Jack was gone that he would die and it would be the last and final time and Ianto wouldn’t have had the chance to even say goodbye. The whole ‘not dying’ thing was so new to him and Jack had only been back a few hours when he had disappeared. Until Ianto had found the CCTV footage, he hadn’t known what to think and then he was just mad.

And now Jack was back, had been back for a few weeks and everyone was slipping back into their routines. Jack was back in charge, Gwen grudgingly handing the reins back over. Ianto suspected that now that the former PC’d had a taste of control, it would be more difficult for her to accept Jack’s leadership. Tosh seemed genuinely happy to have Jack back, thrilled to have someone more knowledgeable than Ianto to discuss alien tech with. He could hold his own but Jack, being from the future, did have considerably more experience. Owen was, well, Owen. Although, he had stopped teasing Ianto about Jack, almost as if he sensed that things between the two men had changed.

He shut the cupboard door with a bang, placed his hands on the counter and sighed. Things **had** changed between them, he just wasn’t sure how. Jack had nervously asked him out on a date and he chuckled to himself at that memory. Imagine, Jack nervous! He’d said yes, but it had yet to happen. Torchwood always seemed to get in the way. The friendly banter they’d always enjoyed was still there, in fact it was more prevalent than before. But the innuendo laced comments had decreased. Jack no longer made lewd remarks toward him in the presence of the others.

Ianto knew something had happened to Jack while he was gone, something bad he suspected, but Jack hadn’t spoken about it and Ianto hadn’t pressed, figuring Jack would talk if and when he was comfortable. Whatever it was had made Jack more introspective and serious at times. He seemed to take Ianto more seriously and whatever it was that they had was less of a game for Jack anymore. And that made Ianto nervous. Not because he didn’t want it, but because Jack was a force of nature. Ianto worried that with having that much intensity focused on him and him alone he would get lost in the tidal wave that was Jack and never find his way out.

So Ianto was okay with taking things slowly, carefully, and methodically because he feared once he got swept up again that if Jack ever left, he would take Ianto with him. Not physically of course, but there would be nothing left of him to recover. His heart and his soul would go with Captain Jack Harkness with no hope of return. So, Ianto was okay with being slow and careful, for self-preservation.

He was padding back to his bedroom to dig out a shirt and some shoes when the doorbell rang. Puzzled he went to answer it.

“Jack!”

He couldn’t have been more surprised to see Jack standing on his doorstep. He had that wild grin on his face, full of excitement and Ianto thought for a moment, pride. Instantly he was on alert, Jack usually only looked like this right before he got Ianto into trouble.

Jack grabbed his hand pulling him forward.

“Ianto, I want you to see something. Come here.”

“Jack, I don’t have any shoes on,” he protested.

Jack frowned and looked down at Ianto’s feet. Ianto saw the look that flitted across Jack’s eyes.

“No, absolutely not. Just give me a second to put on my trainers.”

He shook his head as Jack pouted but waited, albeit impatiently as Ianto put on his trainers. He grimaced, he hated wearing shoes with no socks but he knew Jack and if he took even the briefest of seconds to go get socks, Jack **would** carry him to wherever he wanted to take him.

“Okay, I’m ready.”

Jack grabbed his hand again and pulled him outside to the curb where the SUV was parked.

“That’s the SUV Jack, is this what you wanted me to see?”

“No,” Jack pouted for a second, before proudly showing him the side mirror. “No, this.”

Ianto looked at the side mirror, puzzled at first and then as realization dawned on him he broke out into a grin.

“You cleaned the mirror.”

“I did. I’m pretty sure I got all the tape residue off. I know you’ll probably want to give it a full wash and wax, but I did get the tape off.”

Ianto couldn’t help the immense pleasure that flooded through him. Jack had done this for him and had come right over to show him. He turned to face Jack, the smile still huge on his face.

“Thank you Jack, it looks lovely. You did a beautiful job.”

Relief flooded across Jack’s features and then pride. He literally beamed with happiness. He stepped closer to Ianto, reaching out to rub his knuckles gently over his cheek.

“I did it for you,” he said softly, his blue eyes searching for acceptance in Ianto’s.

Ianto felt his heart do a flip flop in his chest and he turned his face into Jack’s caress.

“Have you eaten yet?”

Ianto had to smirk at the question, “Nope, I seem to have nothing in my house to eat.”

“Great, let’s go get something to eat.”

Jack grabbed his hand and opened the door to the SUV.

“Jack, I need to get a shirt on and I’d like to put some socks on too.”

Jack turned back to look at him as if realizing for the first time that Ianto was standing in front of him half-naked. Ianto watched as his eyes glazed over slightly and couldn’t help but laugh.

“Come on you, let’s get back inside, you can wait while I get dressed and then you can take me out to eat.”

Jack bounded after him and Ianto laughed, running back into his bedroom to grab socks and a shirt. He didn’t know what happened to Jack while he was gone but if it led to Jack treating him like this, it had to have been worth it, Ianto could only hope that whatever it was, it wasn’t too horrible.

He went back out into the front room to see Jack waiting for him by the front door, hands in his pockets, grinning at Ianto expectantly.

“Ready?”

“Yup.”

Jack extended his elbow to Ianto who laughed a bit at the gesture but took it and let Jack lead him out to the SUV.

“So, dinner, a movie?”

Ianto turned to smile at Jack noting the look of anticipation in the older man’s eyes, along with the promise of something else.

“I’d like that very much.”

 _Slow and methodical is overrated,_ he thought, _not when one has Captain Jack Harkness focused totally on you._ He settled back into the passenger seat of the SUV and let Jack Harkness proceed to sweep him off his feet.

  
TBC


	8. Throwing Caution To The Wind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of episode tags and in between season forays, told from both Ianto’s POV and Jack’s POV from the time Jack left at the end of End of Days, until shortly after Tommy Brockless’ return to his own time.

Thanks to [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/profile)[**buttononthetop**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/) for the beta, our ADWD chats, and for being my friend and personal cheerleader!

 **Chapter Eight – Throwing Caution To The Wind**

Ianto sat in the back booth at the Pub. The team would be joining him soon. He was the advance scout, so to speak, sent ahead to score a table, drinks, and food. He didn’t mind though, after everything that had happened over the last week, it was nice to have a moment by himself to think. About things, Tommy, Jack. Jack especially. They’d talked the night before Tommy went back to his own time, actually they’d done a lot more than talk. Ianto felt himself flushing with warmth at the intimate memory.

 _“I know you get lonely.”_

 _Ianto sat on the edge of Jack’s desk, looking down at him as he waited for the response to his statement._

 _“Going home wouldn’t fix that.”_

 _Jack folded his hands together and looked down shaking his head._

 _“Being here, I’ve seen things I never dreamt I’d see, loved people I never would have known if I’d just stayed where I was,” he raised his eyes slowly back up to look at Ianto._

 _Ianto broke eye contact, compelled to follow Jack’s hands, but when Jack paused as if he was waiting for something, Ianto met his gaze and was overwhelmed by the emotion he saw there._

 _“And I wouldn’t change that for the world.”_

 _Ianto felt as if his heart was exploding. No, it wasn’t those three little words, but for Jack, it was way more than he ever expected. The look in Jack’s eyes, it was all there. In the brief moment before Ianto leaned down and captured Jack’s lips with his own, he learned volumes about Jack from what he said and from the look in his eyes, because Jack’s mask had not only slipped out of place, it was gone._

 _Whatever had happened while Jack was gone, it had been unpleasant and had taught Jack a lesson he’d already thought he’d learned. Ianto saw raw emotional need in those blue eyes, a longing for someone he could lose himself in, someone that would just let him be, someone that didn’t expect him to be the leader of Torchwood Three, or Captain Jack Harkness, someone that would let him just be Jack._

 _The last time he’d seen that look on Jack’s face was when he came back from the 1940’s when he’d fallen in love with his namesake. He felt his head swim a little at the idea that all that emotion was focused on him. His breath caught in his throat and he knew there was nothing he could say. Jack wasn’t ready for how Ianto felt, he wasn’t ready to admit how he felt about Ianto even though it was all there in his eyes. So he spoke Jack’s language.  
He grabbed the back of Jack’s neck and he kissed him. He opened his mouth, letting their tongues dance together. He slid his hand up to cup the side of Jack’s face and neck. Soon, he felt Jack’s arms go around his back, holding his shoulders, pulling him close before sliding up and framing his face with those impossibly large hands. Ianto moaned into the kiss and Jack answered with a moan of his own._

 _Ianto felt himself pulled down into Jack’s lap, the older man’s arms wrapping around his waist, pulling him close. He sank into the kiss, relishing the feel of Jack’s arms around him, the taste of his mouth, and the smell of Jack adding to his heady feeling. It was the best smell in the world – a mixture of sandalwood, adventure, and mystery. He twined his fingers through the fringe of Jack’s hair at the back of his neck, pulling him closer, keeping their mouths together._

 _Jack picked that moment to break the kiss and lean their foreheads together. Their breaths came in pants and mingled together. Ianto opened his eyes and felt the piercing gaze of Jack’s blue ones meeting his._

 _“Ianto?” he whispered._

 _Ianto leaned forward and kissed him again, lightly, chastely on the lips._

 _“I know,” he said softly, sliding off of Jack’s lap to stand beside him._

 _Ianto held his hand out to Jack who looked up at him questioningly._

 _“Come on, make love to me Jack, please?”_

 _Jack grabbed his hand as he jumped up “You don’t have to ask me twice! Let’s go!”_

 _And he dragged Ianto toward the hole in the floor that led to his quarters. Ianto tugged back a little, rolling his eyes._

 _“You know we were having a moment here, Jack.”_

 _Jack turned back, caught sight of Ianto’s face and pulled him forward by his belt loops until their groins were flush against each other._

 _“Oh, don’t worry, we’ll have plenty more moments,” his husky voice replied before he kissed Ianto’s lips softly._

 _Ianto chuckled and let Jack drag him down into his quarters. Once down there they slowly started stripping off each other’s clothes. Ianto huffed out a breath as Jack kissed his collarbone, before sliding his fingers over the buttons on Jack’s shirt as well. Jack leaned into his touch, ghosting a kiss over Ianto’s temple, fingers caressing his bare shoulder as he slipped Ianto’s shirt off._

 _Ianto repeated the gesture on Jack and felt the older man shudder against him. He wrapped his arms around Jack’s waist and licked delicately at his neck before sinking his teeth in, marking the older man, knowing it would fade all too soon._

 _“Oh god, Ianto,” Jack moaned._

 _He bared his neck to Ianto, letting the younger man deepen the mark he’d just made. Ianto tongued the bruise, soothing the skin before turning his face to crush his lips against Jack’s again. This time he let Jack lead, allowing the older man to chase his tongue back and forth between their mouths, finally breaking the kiss panting and needing the air. He caught Jack’s eye and the older man winked at him, before pulling him gently back to the bed.  
Jack sat down pulling Ianto between his legs, nuzzling his nose into Ianto’s belly making him laugh. Ianto ran his fingers through Jack’s hair._

 _Jack looked up at him._

 _“What would I do without you, Ianto?”_

 _Ianto’s breath hitched at the question, knowing there was far more meaning behind it than could be conveyed by simple words. But he saw the look in Jack’s eyes, saw the genuine fear there, but he saw something else there as well. He’d seen it just a few minutes ago, the love, the adoration, and it made him melt just a bit. But he knew if he acknowledged it, Jack would close himself off, so he eased the moment with a bit of humor._

 _“I don’t know, probably be up to your chin in rubbish I suppose.”_

 _Jack let out a huge belly laugh, wrapping his arms around Ianto’s waist and hugging him closer. As the laugh died off he licked Ianto’s belly button and the younger man shivered at the touch. He heard Jack chuckle and then felt himself pulled down on top of Jack as he lay back onto the bed. He couldn’t keep his laughter inside, joining Jack in the levity. But then the laughter faded and he found himself staring into the blue depths of Jack’s eyes. He saw the pain there, saw the regret, but most of all he saw the love._

 _The kissing began anew, filled with a passion that hadn’t been there before. Tongues danced, teeth clashed, hair was stroked and remaining clothes were shed. Both men stilled as their skin came in contact, taking deep breaths to will themselves back under control. Ianto could feel Jack’s heart pounding underneath his chest, as the silky skin of their shafts met and the two men thrust against each other._

 _Jack rolled them so he was on top and he leaned back until he was looking in Ianto’s eyes. Ianto’s movements stilled as he stared up at Jack in anticipation. He held back a giggle as Jack leant down and rubbed their noses together._

 _“I missed you Ianto. I missed this.”_

 _Again Ianto felt himself get choked up with emotion. He reached up to brush the hair off of Jack’s forehead before whispering._

 _“Me too, cariad.”_

 _Then, Jack’s lips were crushing his and they were both groping around on the nightstand for the lube. Ianto found it first and almost crowed in delight. He handed it to Jack triumphantly who looked at him questioningly._

 _Ianto smirked, “Thought I didn’t have to ask you twice.”_

 _Jack broke out into a huge grin before flipping the cap and slicking up his fingers. Ianto sucked in a breath and his eyes fluttered shut as Jack’s finger started teasing his entrance. Involuntarily, he opened his legs further, giving Jack complete access and he opened his eyes. Jack’s gaze met his just as his finger breached Ianto’s entrance. Ianto sucked in another breath and clutched Jack’s shoulders. It had been such a long time and he was so tight._

 _Jack leaned down and kissed first one eyebrow and then the other. Gently, he teased and stretched Ianto open, never breaking eye contact with the younger man. Ianto had never felt anything so intense in his life. Normally, he kept his eyes closed, but keeping them open was so intimate and raw it made this a whole new experience. He could see every emotion as it crossed Jack’s eyes. Seeing the love and vulnerability there was a heady feeling, a mixture of power, trust, and love. He could only hope Jack was seeing the same thing in his eyes._

 _Jack leaned down to kiss him just as he entered him and he gasped into Jack’s mouth and then relaxed against him clutching his shoulders and pulling the older man closer, wrapping a leg around his waist. Jack pulled away from the kiss and Ianto frowned in disappointment._

 _“Wanna see you.”_

 _Ianto leaned up and kissed him softly._

 _“All right, cariad.”_

 _And they watched each other as Jack slowly entered the tight heat of Ianto’s body until he was fully seated inside him. Their eyes locked as he gently started to thrust. Ianto slid his hands down to Jack’s waist and gripped the older man tightly, encouraging his movements. He soon lost himself to the intensity of Jack’s gaze and the sensation of his thrusts._

 _The world seemed to shrink down for Ianto to just the two of them. The only sounds he could hear were the squeaking of the bed, the panting of their breath, and the pounding of his heart in his ears. All he could smell was Jack. All he could feel was Jack. And all he could see was Jack. Jack above him, sweat starting to bead on his forehead, making his hair damp. Jack around him, gripping his hips tight enough to leave bruises. And Jack inside him, hitting that one spot that always made him see stars._

 _Ianto could tell from the intensity of Jack’s gaze that the older man was having similar feelings and thoughts. He reached up to stroke his face and Jack turned into his palm, kissing it lightly as his thrusting became erratic._

 _‘I love you. I love you. I love you’ repeated itself like a mantra in his head but never left his lips. He could see Jack mouthing words but couldn’t quite make them out. Idly, he wondered what they were but figured if Jack wanted to tell him he would. He never realized Jack was repeating the same mantra in his native language._

 _He shuddered as Jack nailed his prostate repeatedly and his thoughts finally found a voice._

 _“Not gonna last, Jack,” he gasped out._

 _Jack let go of his hip and found his hand, twining their fingers together._

 _“Together. Together!” he rasped out._

 _Ianto could only nod in agreement, when their entwined hands found his cock and swiftly started stroking. Within moments both men were shaking with the intensity of their orgasms. Ianto’s legs wrapped firmly around Jack as his body clenched and spasmed around the older man, instinctively wanting to keep him close. As their breathing slowed down, Jack rested their foreheads together._

 _“Together,” he whispered._

 _“Together, cariad,” Ianto whispered back, knowing the true meaning behind their words._

Ianto shifted in his seat, his trousers uncomfortably tight after letting himself relive that memory. He smiled though as Tosh approached the table, blushing when she sent him a knowing grin when he didn’t stand up for her.

“Thinking about Jack I see.”

  
TBC


	9. Carried Along In The Wake of Jack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of episode tags and in between season forays, told from both Ianto’s POV and Jack’s POV from the time Jack left at the end of End of Days, until shortly after Tommy Brockless’ return to his own time.

Thanks to [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/profile)[**buttononthetop**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/) for the beta, our ADWD chats, and for being my friend and personal cheerleader!

 **Chapter Nine - Carried Along in the Wake of Jack**

Ianto felt himself blush at Tosh’s words and looked down at the table. Tosh sat down and reached her hand across and placed it on top of his.

“Don’t worry about it. Are you happy?”

Ianto looked up at her.

 _That was the million dollar question wasn’t it?_

“You mean?”

“With Jack, I mean. I’m not wrong am I? I mean I just thought, you’ve both been different this past week or so, like something changed the night before Tommy left.”

Ianto felt his face grow hotter. Things had changed. After that first night that they’d had sex again, they’d been insatiable. He couldn’t help but smile as he thought about their last time together, that time in the archives. They hadn’t even actually had sex, not really but they had definitely gotten off. He slid his palm down over his hardening erection, willing it back under control. He cringed when he remembered the CCTV footage and how not so secret their relationship was in retrospect, and hoped fervently that Tosh didn’t have a copy of the footage. He took another sip of his beer, his thoughts returning to the present.

“Is it that obvious?” he muttered.

She squeezed his hand.

“No, only to me. Jack has seemed happier, happiest he’s been since he got back. You seem happier and you both seem more relaxed, that’s all. I just figured you worked out some issues.” Plus there was that delicious footage she’d saved from the archives the other day.

Ianto laughed, “You could say that.”

Tosh blushed, “So did he tell you? Where he went, what he did?”

Ianto shook his head. “I get the impression he doesn’t want to remember it, let alone talk about it. I don’t think that wherever he was it was very pleasant.”

“What do you think happened to him?”

“I couldn’t even begin to guess but he’s not the same man he was before he left.”

“How do you mean?”

Ianto thought for a moment. What happened between the two of them was private, but this was Tosh, practically his best friend.

“Nothing concrete that I can put my finger on, he’s just different, more vulnerable maybe?” he shrugged.

“Hmmm,” she smiled at him.

“Oi! Teaboy, did you put my order in?”

Ianto rolled his eyes. “Yes, Owen, I put everyone’s orders in. The food should be here in a bit. Don’t get your knickers in a twist.”

Owen and Gwen pushed their way into the booth, causing Tosh to slide around next to Ianto. Her hand brushed his thigh and he stiffened hoping she couldn’t tell he was still erect from thinking about Jack, but then relaxed when her hand appeared back up on the table and nothing was said.

“Where’s Jack?” she asked.

“Probably up on a roof someplace. He buggered off just before we left without saying a word.”

Ianto’s heart started to pound a bit faster. _Had Jack left again?_

“Owen, don’t be such a prat, winding Ianto up like that. Don’t worry love, he said he had one thing to take care of and then he’d be meeting us here.”

Gwen smiled at him and Ianto felt himself relax just a bit.

The four of them sank into easy conversation, talking about the latest football scores and whether they should all try to go to another match again, seeing as how the last one had ended so disastrously. Turned out one of the refs had been an alien mercenary on an assassination mission. They’d had to retcon an entire team. The four of them laughed over the shared memories and sat back as their food arrived.

Ianto had just poured vinegar on his chips and taken a mouthful when an American accent rang out.

“So, team did I miss anything?”

He winked at Ianto and Tosh before sliding in next to Ianto and snagging one of his chips.

“Just a story about the football ref cum alien assassin.”

“Oh, you didn’t tell me that one Ianto,” Jack frowned at him.

“Well, we have been a little busy since you’ve been back, you know saving the world and all. I’ll be sure to include it in my next briefing.”

Jack laughed, nudging Ianto with his shoulder before snagging some more of his chips. The five of them ate, discussing Tommy and other various Rift happenings. It wasn’t long before Owen was on his fourth pint and feeling very little pain, as was Gwen. Tosh had stopped after two and Ianto had stopped after one. Jack of course drank water.

“All right, kids, time to get you home. Rift alarms willing we’ll all get a good night’s sleep tonight. I don’t expect to see anyone in before ten tomorrow, Ianto that includes you,” Jack gave him a warning glance.

Ianto couldn’t help the disappointment that flooded through him at Jack’s words. Maybe he’d been fooling himself the other night and each subsequent one about what he’d thought he’d seen in Jack’s eyes. It appeared Jack didn’t want his company this evening after all. Maybe they’d all just been “I’m glad I’m back” shags and nothing more.

Ianto sighed as they started making their way toward the door. Tosh offered to drive Gwen and Owen home and Jack hugged her in gratitude. When those three headed to their cars Ianto turned to say goodbye to Jack only to find him smiling at him broadly.

“Sir?”

“I thought we agreed no more ‘sir’ unless we were playing?”

Ianto blushed and mumbled, “Right. Jack. So I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?”

He watched as Jack’s face filled with disappointment.

“Do you need to go home Ianto?”

“No, I thought…” his voice trailed off as he watched Jack reach for his hand.

“I was hoping maybe we could both go to yours, if that’s all right I mean.”

Ianto couldn’t help but smile at the hopeful look on Jack’s face and the hopeful tone to his voice.

“We might do,” he grinned back at the older man, taking his outstretched hand.

Together they turned and walked off hand and hand toward the SUV.

“Jack, that better not be a parking ticket on the windshield.”

Jack tightened his grip on Ianto’s hand.

“Why, would I be in trouble if it was?”

“Yup.”

Jack spun around grinning wildly at him.

“Would being in trouble include getting punished?”

Ianto rolled his eyes.

“You know you’re incorrigible right?”

“Me incorrigible?

Ianto laughed as they reached the SUV and indeed it was a parking ticket. He sighed and pulled it off the windshield.

“Well, DI Swanson must know you’re back. We never got one of these the entire time you were gone.”

Jack laughed, “I’ll have to send her my regards.”

“I’m sure she’ll appreciate that,” Ianto deadpanned, sliding into the passenger seat.

Jack gunned the engine and the SUV roared off in the direction of Ianto’s flat. The two men were silent on the ride there. When he parked on the street Jack hopped out and ran over to Ianto’s door.

“You know I can open my own door Jack.”

Jack pouted, “I know, I was just, you know.”

Ianto smiled gently, “I know.”

Ianto led the way up to the door and Jack followed him, his hands in his pockets. They stood outside the door for a moment while Ianto dug for his keys. As he turned the key in the lock and stepped inside, Jack hesitated.

“Jack?”

“Is this okay Ianto, I mean, me, coming over?”

“I wouldn’t have said it was if it wasn’t. Now come on you, stop dithering about on the front stoop.”

Jack chuckled and followed Ianto inside, toeing off his boots immediately and letting Ianto take his coat.

“You want some coffee?”

Jack sighed in what Ianto thought might be relief and enthusiastically replied, “Yes.”

Jack stayed behind in the living room while Ianto went off into the kitchen to brew a fresh pot. While it was brewing he rested his hands on the counter and sighed. He couldn’t explain why there suddenly seemed to be this awkward tension between the two of them, but he hoped it went away. It was rather unpleasant.

He smiled when he felt Jack’s arms slip around his waist and shivered as Jack softly kissed the back of his neck. Ianto turned around in Jack’s arms and looked at him. Again, he was rocked to his core at the emotion showing so openly in Jack’s eyes. He wondered if Jack could read his eyes as easily as he read Jack’s. He leaned forward and kissed Jack softly, resting their foreheads together.

“Want to wait on that coffee?” he whispered huskily.

“Oh, yeah. Yeah, I do.”

And then Jack had Ianto pressed against the counter, crushing their mouths together, speaking the language he knew best. Ianto groped behind him, trying to hit the delay button on the coffee machine, wouldn’t do for the coffee to be burnt. His fingers found it, he flicked it, and then he forgot all about making coffee and let himself get lost in Jack.

Sex was a language Jack spoke very well and Ianto knew exactly what he was trying to say tonight so he let Jack take the lead, allowing the Captain to drag him down the hall toward his bedroom. He knew Jack had a lot to say and that he spoke best when he said nothing at all. He didn’t need to hear the words to know how Jack felt because it was all there, in his eyes, his kiss, and the way he touched Ianto as if he were precious. So when they were thrusting together and Jack’s eyes met his, Ianto reached up and cupped his face saying softly, “I know.”

He saw Jack still for a brief moment, watched as his eyes started to shine and then that nod. He felt Jack twine their fingers together just as he had the night before Tommy left, except this time he brought them between them over their hearts.

“Together,” he whispered.

“Together, cariad.”

And they flew together.

***************

Hours later, when Ianto was asleep in Jack’s arms, draped over his chest, Jack lay there stroking Ianto’s back, thinking about the younger man. He could feel his breath tickling his chest, feel the musculature of his back under the stroking of his hand, and almost hear his heart beating in his chest. Of all his team members, Ianto knew him best. They’d come such a long way from where they were before he left. He regretted leaving the younger man behind without so much as a by-your-leave to go off with the Doctor. But it had proven in more ways than one to be exactly what they needed.

He paid more attention to Ianto now. Watched him more, and not just in a salacious way. He noticed that Ianto seemed to anticipate his every need, almost as if he were psychic.  
He tightened his hold on the younger man a bit. Ianto had proven invaluable at Torchwood and he shuddered to think he’d almost lost him to a Cyberman. He was glad that whole incident with Lisa was behind them; it had been a wretched time. He’d felt so betrayed by Ianto but the younger man had more than made it up to him in the weeks that followed and not even opening the Rift with the others and releasing Abaddon had dampened Jack’s faith in him.

Then he’d swanned off with the Doctor and spent a year of his life being tortured by a maniac. And Ianto Jones was one of the things that had carried him through that year. He’d resolved to come back and do things right and he’d been trying, he’d even taken Ianto out on date. But the other night, the night before they sent Tommy back, a line had been crossed. He never said the actual words, but he hoped Ianto knew they were what he meant. Then he had proceeded to show him, several times in fact, in the language he spoke the most fluently. He only hoped Ianto had gotten the message.

Tonight, he thought that just maybe he had. There had been that one point when he looked at Ianto, and Ianto had said, “I know.”

He’d felt the hot rush of tears and had only managed to nod at Ianto. They’d come together again tonight, staring into each other’s eyes. A sensation so intimate that Jack knew whatever he’d been feeling was laid bare in his eyes and Ianto had seen.

A torrent of images suddenly flooded Jack’s head. Coffee and digestives would appear at his elbow just when he was starting to want some. Reports were edited and waiting for his signature just before he was about to ask for them. Talking points for calls he hated were written in Ianto’s neat handwriting and waiting for him to use. Alien artifacts tossed out by the Rift were cataloged and waiting for his signature almost as soon as they’d been retrieved. _Ianto knew, because Ianto knew everything. Ianto **saw** everything._

Jack kissed his lover on the top of his head, whispering softly into his hair.

“You really do see me don’t you Ianto? You really do see me.”

He paused for a moment, tightening his hold on Ianto slightly, kissing his temple this time, continuing to whisper to the sleeping man.

“Well, I see you Ianto Jones. You may not think I do, but I do. Your mask has slipped out of place and I see you. I see what you do everyday behind the scenes. Things you think I don’t see. I see you deliver crisps with Owen’s afternoon coffee, knowing that he gets hungry after lunch. I see you deliver the latest fashion magazine to Gwen when you bring in the afternoon mail. I see you prepare Tosh’s evening tea to her exact specifications even though she never told you how she liked it. You do so much for all of us Ianto Jones, and never expect any thanks in return. I know you keep all the weapons cleaned, loaded and ready. I know you keep the SUV prepped and ready to go long before we ever need it. You keep us from burying ourselves in our own rubbish. And you put up with all of our crap – Owen’s incessant teasing, yes I know about that, Gwen’s constant dismissing of your abilities, yup, I know about that too. And of course me, I’m ashamed at how much I take you for granted. “

Jack shifted a bit, brushing another kiss across Ianto’s temple, not noticing the change in Ianto’s breathing pattern.

“I can’t promise that I’ll get any better at acknowledging everything you do, you’re just too good at it. Always behind the scenes making me look like the hero. But know that I **don’t** take you for granted. I know you’re there, because I see you Ianto Jones. I see you more than you’ll ever know.”

Ianto shifted a bit and pressed a kiss to Jack’s chest. He felt Jack stiffen underneath him so he tilted his head up to look into Jack’s eyes.

“I know, cariad. I know.”

He leaned up and captured Jack’s lips with his own, the older man slowly wrapping his arms around him, before rolling them over and deepening the kiss. Neither one of them was hiding behind a mask anymore.

  
Almost the end.


	10. Interlude - What Happened In the Archives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of episode tags and in between season forays, told from both Ianto’s POV and Jack’s POV from the time Jack left at the end of End of Days, until shortly after Tommy Brockless’ return to his own time.

Thanks to [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/profile)[**buttononthetop**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/) for the beta, our ADWD chats, and for being my friend and personal cheerleader!

 **Interlude – What Happened In The Archives**

Jack sat at his desk watching Ianto over the CCTV. He was busy doing whatever it was he did down in the archives. Jack shifted in his seat as he watched Ianto bend and stretch, trousers pulling tight across that delicious Welsh bum. Suddenly, his own trousers felt too tight. He glanced at his watch, grimacing when he realized it was too early to send everyone home. His hand slipped down to his lap as he palmed his growing erection firmly, continuing to watch Ianto on the screen. He almost groaned out loud when Ianto turned to face the camera and Jack saw a smudge of dirt on his cheek.

“Fuck,” he hissed out, slamming his chair back so hard it hit the glass behind him.

Owen barely looked up from the autopsy he was performing when Jack stormed out of his office, flew down the stairs, and disappeared in the direction of the archives without a word.

Tosh blushed as she deftly made a few keystrokes to save what she was sure would prove to be blisteringly hot footage.

Gwen blushed before pushing her chair back away from her desk.

“All right, lunch time. Who’s going to the Pub with me?”

“I will,” Tosh said softly.

“You can count me in,” Owen said, quickly stripping off his gloves, washing his hands, and grabbing his coat.

The three walked out through the cog door without a backwards glance, the sound of Owen’s voice echoing through the empty Hub.

“Figure we got an hour or so with the two of them shagging down there.”

“OWEN!”

***************

Jack grinned when he rounded the corner and saw Ianto bending over dusting his trouser legs off. Quietly he walked up behind him and grasped his hips firmly. He grinned when Ianto straightened up immediately, pushing his arse back into Jack. Jack slid his hands up Ianto’s chest, tweaking one of his nipples through his shirt, loving the shudder of desire that rippled through his lover’s body.

“Just how long have you been watching me, Jack?”

“Long enough,” he growled, he breath caressing Ianto’s ear.

Jack slid his nimble fingers along Ianto’s chest and popped a few buttons on Ianto’s shirt open, slipping his hand inside. Ianto gasped, his head lolling back against Jack’s shoulder as Jack’s fingers pinched his nipple until it peaked. Jack licked up the side of Ianto’s exposed neck, before biting down with just enough pressure to raise a mark right over Ianto’s pulse.

“Oh God, Jack,” Ianto moaned, pushing back into Jack’s hardening erection.

Jack slid his free arm around Ianto’s waist, pulling him tightly against him. He slid his hand down to cup Ianto’s own erection through his wool trousers.

“And just how long have you been thinking about me coming down here?”

Jack could feel Ianto’s blush in the rising heat of the cheek pressed to his neck. He felt the younger man’s cock twitch in his grasp and couldn’t help the smug grin from appearing on his face.

“Long enough, Jack, long enough. Now are you going to fuck me, or did you just come down here to tease?”

“Oh, Ianto Jones, you know I never tease.”

Jack stopped playing with his nipple and slid his hand around his waist, holding Ianto firmly against him. Slowly he started to thrust against that round backside, rubbing Ianto’s erection.

“Jack,” Ianto gasped out.

“Ianto,” Jack answered as he spun him around, pinning him to the filing cabinet behind him.

He thrust his tongue into Ianto’s mouth forestalling anymore talking. He slid his thigh between Ianto’s legs, rubbing against the hard shaft he could feel through both of their trousers. His own erection was trapped against Ianto’s thigh and he groaned at the pleasurable pressure.

Jack glided his hands across Ianto’s shoulders and down his arms, clasping their hands together. He raised their joined hands up above Ianto’s head and pressed them against the wall before starting to thrust in earnest. He licked along Ianto’s jaw, down his neck, sucking the skin in again, darkening the mark he’d made just moments ago.

He thrust his hips against Ianto who met him thrust for powerful thrust, both of them grinding their wool-covered cocks against wool-covered thighs. Jack felt Ianto’s hands tighten around his and knew that his lover was close. He slid his mouth back up and thrust his tongue inside, moaning as sensation after sensation rocked his body. He felt his own grasp tighten around Ianto’s hands as their thrusts became erratic and he knew their orgasms weren’t far off.

“Ianto,” he groaned out softly, licking the pliant lips underneath his.

“Jack,” Ianto gasped out, squeezing his hands tighter.

The thrusting became frantic, hard cock pushing desperately against muscled thigh, until both men shuddered, and Jack felt liquid warmth spurting from him. He continued to grind against Ianto, through both their orgasms, only stopping when he felt Ianto’s hands go slack in his own. Ianto continued making a few shallow thrusts until he slumped forward against Jack. Jack grinned against Ianto’s neck, sliding his arms down to his sides, and then wrapping his own around Ianto’s waist and pulling him close.

They stayed like that for several minutes, catching their breath, finally resting their foreheads together. Both of them started to chuckle about the same time.

“What brought that on?”

“You, watching you bending over, trousers stretching across that incredible arse.”

Ianto laughed, “I told you watching me over the CCTV was going to get you into trouble one of these days.”

Jack pulled back and looked at him, a sudden worried look on his face, “Am I in trouble?”

Ianto’s eyes softened a bit. He leaned forward and kissed Jack softly.

“Nope, lucky for you I have an extra set of trousers here.”

Jack started to pout again. Ianto pushed away from the wall, grabbed Jack’s hand and tugged him.

“Come on you, shower now, clean trousers, and maybe if you’re good, you’ll get some fresh coffee.”

Jack smiled as he followed Ianto to the showers.

“So does being good mean we can’t shower together?”

  
The End


	11. Interlude 2 - The Couple That Showers Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of episode tags and in between season forays, told from both Ianto’s POV and Jack’s POV from the time Jack left at the end of End of Days, until shortly after Tommy Brockless’ return to his own time.

A HUGE THANK YOU to [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/profile)[**buttononthetop**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/buttononthetop/) for her SUPER SPEEDY BETA!!!! *HUGS*

 **Interlude Two – The Couple That Showers Together**

Jack bounded ahead of Ianto, pleased that he’d managed to surprise Ianto in the Archives, happy that Ianto seemed to have finally forgiving him for going off with the Doctor, and ecstatic that he was going to get to ravish his young lover in the shower.

“Don’t forget the CCTV.”

Jack spun around and smiled at Ianto as he walked backward and fiddled with his wrist strap.

“You really don’t think that will stop Tosh do you?”

Ianto blushed and had to chuckle. “Probably not, but at least Gwen and Owen won’t stumble across it.”

Jack smirked, flipping his wrist strap closed again, reaching out and snagging Ianto by the belt loop and pulling him forward until their bodies were pressed together.

“Tosh would never let that happen. Besides, I usually lock the footage so only you or I can access it.”

It was Ianto’s turn to smirk. “And you **really** think that would stop Tosh?”

Jack chuckled, leaned forward and rested his forehead against Ianto’s. “Nope, but I’m happy to live with my delusion.”

He tilted his head slightly and softly kissed Ianto on the mouth, licking at his lips until Ianto opened beneath him. Jack slid his hands around Ianto’s waist, drawing him closer, slicking his tongue into Ianto’s mouth causing both of them to moan with need.

Ianto tightened his grip on Jack’s shoulders, battling with Jack’s tongue for control. Teeth clashed, lips were nibbled, palates caressed and they tightened their grips on each other. Ianto finally broke the kiss, panting and trying to get himself under control.

“Shower, Jack, now.”

“Yes,” Jack growled in response.

They almost fell over in their haste to remove shoes and clothes, and to get under the warm spray. Within moments Jack had won the bid for control and had Ianto pressed up against the slick tile with his tongue down his throat. His hands on either side of Ianto’s head, he had the younger man pinned in, trapped between the warm heat of his body and the cool slick tile at his back.

He plundered Ianto’s mouth, thrusting his tongue in and out, sucking on Ianto’s tongue and biting his lower lip until Ianto was breathless and needy.

“Jack!” he rasped out.

Jack just smiled as he slid his mouth along Ianto’s jaw, dipping his tongue into his ear, licking the outer shell. He licked the water droplets as they sprayed Ianto’s neck, found his pulse and settled there, licking, sucking, and biting until he pulled up a dull red mark.

Ianto clutched at his shoulders, digging his nails into Jack’s skin. Jack bit back a hiss at the sting and bit Ianto’s neck just a tiny bit harder in warning. Sure enough, he loosened his grip but tightened his hold. Jack ghosted his hand over Ianto’s skin, over his shoulder, down his arm, across his belly and up his chest. He found a nipple and circled it lightly with his fingertip. He bent to suck the skin over Ianto’s collarbone at the same time his fingers closed over Ianto’s nipple. The younger man gasped in response and his hands slid into Jack’s wet hair.

Jack smirked against his chest as he dipped his head further to tongue Ianto’s other nipple, before taking it between his teeth and tugging gently. He felt Ianto’s moan as his chest rumbled beneath his teeth. Jack worked both nipples with fingers and teeth, his own arousal heightening with every second he spent worshipping Ianto’s body. He could feel his own cock throbbing with need, as if he hadn’t just had a mind blowing orgasm about twenty minutes ago. _God, the things Ianto did to him!_

He licked his way down Ianto’s abdomen, anxious to take his lover’s cock into his mouth. He was anticipating the taste and the feel of Ianto but forced himself to take his time. He slid his tongue into Ianto’s belly button, sucking and biting as he knew Ianto was ticklish there. He ghosted kisses over to each hip bone, leaving twin marks behind before licking his way down Ianto’s thighs to leave a kiss on each knee.

He glanced upward to look at Ianto. His cock twitched at the sight. His lover looked so wanton and debauched, it was all Jack could do to restrain himself from taking him right there. Ianto’s head was resting back against the wall, his eyes closed, his mouth slightly open, and his hands were clenched tightly at his sides.

“You look so hot right now, Ianto,” he whispered roughly.

Ianto opened his eyes and looked down at Jack, reaching out to stroke a hand through the dark wet hair.

“So close, cariad. So close.”

“Soon, Ianto. Soon.”

Jack looked back down at what was right in front of his face and he grinned. He opened his mouth and stuck his tongue out and lightly licked the tip of Ianto’s cock. He grinned at the familiar flavor before closing his lips over the head and probing the slit with his tongue. Ianto’s hands fisted in his hair, gripping it so tightly that it almost hurt.  
He pulled back and tongued Ianto’s shaft, gliding his tongue right along the vein on the underside. Jack could hear Ianto moaning above him and reached a hand up to tweak his nipple. The sensation caused Ianto to buck toward Jack’s mouth and he obliged, opening his lips and letting Ianto thrust inside. He relaxed his throat and let Ianto take the lead, feeling the head of his penis strike the back of his throat. He swallowed around Ianto’s cock and then started to hum.

Ianto started to thrust more frantically into his mouth and Jack tongued him expertly. His tongue slid up and down Ianto’s penis as it moved in and out of his mouth. He probed the slit as he withdrew, and gently glided his teeth along the underside as Ianto thrust back inside. Jack reached his hand up and cradled Ianto’s balls. He rolled them gently, wanting to suck on them too, but he knew Ianto was too close. He slid his finger back behind the sac, finding that little swell of flesh and pressing firmly.

“JACK!” Ianto shuddered underneath his touch as he screamed out his name.

Jack felt Ianto’s balls tightening in his hand and knew Ianto was about to come. He increased the suction, increased the pressure with his finger, and started to hum again, louder this time. All those sensations were too much for Ianto and he pitched over the edge, his cock spurting thick streams of fluid right down Jack’s throat.

Jack swallowed greedily, sucking Ianto dry. He let Ianto’s still throbbing cock slip out of the warm confines of his mouth, grasped his hips and spun him around.

“Brace yourself,” he growled.

Before Ianto could answer, he spread the tight cheeks in front of him and thrust his tongue right inside.

“Oh God, Jack!” Ianto scrabbled his hands against the tile, searching in vain for some sort of purchase.

Jack thrust his tongue past that ring of muscle and then withdrew, sucking the sensitive skin in between his teeth and biting gently. He took a broad swipe with his tongue and then drove it into Ianto again. The younger man whimpered under his assault and Jack could tell by his weak thrusts that he was already starting to get hard again. He continued with the biting, the licking, and the thrusting, switching them out randomly, until Ianto was bucking into the cold tile.

“Please Jack, now!”

Jack grinned against Ianto’s skin and quickly stood up as he reached for the waterproof lube. He slicked his fingers up and upon sliding them into Ianto, he knew the rimming had already achieved his goal. Quickly, he slicked up his cock and soon he was thrusting into the tight heat of Ianto’s body. He groaned as Ianto started clenching around him. He wrapped his arms around Ianto’s waist, pulling him tightly back into his chest.

They thrust together, Ianto pushing backward every time Jack pushed forward. The only sounds besides the water were the moans of pleasure coming from their mouths, and their bodies moving in unison. Jack bent his head and kissed Ianto’s shoulder, right where his neck joined. He opened his mouth and sucked, bit the area gently with his teeth, marking his young lover again. His hand slid down and grasped Ianto’s cock and firmly started to tug. His thumb swiped over the tip on every other upstroke. He felt his own balls start to tighten thanks to the hot warmth of Ianto’s body currently surrounding his own cock. He stroked Ianto a little bit faster.

“Want to come together,” he whispered roughly into Ianto’s ear.

“Yes,” Ianto rasped in reply, reaching his hand back to grasp Jack’s head.

Their thrusts turned frantic and erratic, and Jack gripped Ianto a bit tighter and moved his hand a bit faster. Within moments they were coming together and screaming each other’s names. They rode the orgasm out together, their thrusts slowed down until Jack was thrusting languidly in and out of Ianto who wasn’t moving at all. Both whimpered slightly when Jack slipped out and they clung to each other letting the aftershocks just flow through them.

Jack turned Ianto around and kissed him, taking ownership of his mouth, lightly thrusting his tongue about, finding that one hot spot as Ianto melted into his embrace. The kiss slowed naturally and soon they were resting their foreheads together trying to regain their breath.

They stayed like that for several long moments just enjoying the afterglow until the water started to cool.

“Guess we should finish cleaning up and get dressed.”

“Guess so.” Jack pouted.

Ianto chuckled at Jack’s look. “You know that pout gets me every time. You’re so spoiled. I promised you coffee afterward remember?”

Jack’s eyes lit up at the mention of coffee and Ianto rolled his eyes.

“You are so easy.”

“Hey!”

“Come on, let’s finish up in here.” Ianto pushed Jack away playfully and then smacked him right on the arse.

“Oh, kinky!”

Ianto rolled his eyes again. “Clean Jack, now.”

Fifteen minutes later Jack was in his office and Ianto was in the kitchen pouring both of them a fresh mug of coffee. He and Jack had just sat down at Jack’s desk and were taking their first sip when the alarm for the cog door went off.

“Perfect timing.” Jack smiled.

“As always.” Ianto smiled back.

It wasn’t long before Tosh made her way up to see them.

“I trust we gave you enough time?” she asked cheekily.

“Right, that’s my cue to leave.” Ianto stood up, the blush coloring his face unmistakable.

She handed Jack a disc.

“That was fast.”

She smirked. “Well when you have the computer preset to record certain areas of the Hub when certain identities are present, it usually is.”

Ianto turned back to stare at her in shock.

She just grinned and handed him a disc as well.

“Figured you’d want a copy too. Enjoy.”

She smiled as she walked toward the door.

Ianto called out to her just as she reached it. “You’re brilliant. Scary but brilliant.”

“I know. Enjoy the show, I know I will.”

She smiled at the flush coloring Ianto’s cheeks and patted his shoulder on her way out, Jack’s laughter following her all the way down the stairs.

  
The End


End file.
